What is my learning goal? How do my interests link to it?

I always had a passion for sailing because of a fascination with the sea and sailing boats. This is because I
grew up in a household with plenty of books about sailing and boats. After all, my parents liked the sport. I
remember reading a few pages of this book called “On the Wind: Mastering the Art of Sailing” by David
Seidman and being amazed by the illustrations and diagrams present in it, despite me not fully understanding
them because of my young age, as they represented the beauty of the engineering that went into building
those sailing vessels. Eventually, at the age of 7, I got the chance to practice the sport at a summer camp.
Although at first, I was insecure about conducting a sailing boat, by the end of the first week I enjoyed it so
much that I did another week and started improving on the skills I learned the week prior.

I started practicing the sport weekly in a sailing club situated in Switzerland. I used to compete in club regattas
with the popular “Optimist” boat class, a class of small dimensions (2.38m length all out) used as a starting
point to introduce youth to the sport of sailing as it is a very secure and easy to control 1 handed sailing boat
that can be easily operated by sailors aged from 7 to 15. Because of the competitive nature of regattas, there
was always this need for speed to be able to be the fastest boat and thus be the most competitive and win
titles by completing the course in the shortest time. This was often achieved by gaining a proper
understanding of factors that affected the time the boat would take to complete the course. These factors
include the route the boat takes considering lay lines and wind direction, the tensions of various rig
components, the regulation of the mainsail, wind speeds, and the ability to change direction with a perfect
technique to minimize the velocity lost during the maneuver. These aspects were taught as part of an
intensive weekly program to prepare young sailors for club and national championships.

However, there would be a point where the possible speed would be capped and no matter how well those
factors were tuned, the boat couldn’t be pushed any faster because of how the design of the Optimist was
so impeditive in terms of achievable speed as performance wasn’t the boat’s primary goal, instead, it was to
give a safe and manageable boat for a child to use and learn from. This is because giving a child a faster and
less stable boat would’ve posed a safety concern as well as not giving them a proper tool to learn with; faster
boats tend to be less forgiving with mistakes as they are more sensitive to changes like wind gusts, rig tension
tweaks, rudder movements, and sail trim. Giving an inexperienced child a racing boat like the RS-800 to learn
with would be like trying to have them learn how to run without first knowing how to walk. This meant that
once the Optimist was mastered the only way to move to the next level, in terms of speed and performance,
is to change class. Change to a boat that was engineered to fit the standards of older sailors who want a more
competitive experience. But what if instead of just buying a new boat of a different class I could challenge
myself and design my own? To do this, I have to learn about hydrodynamics and how sailing boats carry out
their function.

Engineering is a core part of my learning goal. Ever since I moved the UAE in grade 5; I discovered a passion
for sciences and math. I enjoyed math and science lessons a lot, and after choosing subjects in grade 9 I
started enjoying math even more and enjoying physics the most out of the 3 sciences. As I still had that
passion for sailing, I quickly made the connection with physics and sailing, I realized that the design of the
boat itself could immensely impact the performance of a sailing boat. I proved this when in fall 2020 I got a
Hobie Cat 16, and it was a lot faster and more responsive than the Optimist due to its completely different
design based around a larger sail area and two hulls connected by a beam and trampoline. This sparked a
curiosity in me: how would different designs for a sailing boat affect its performance, what’s the most
effective design for a sailing boat for it to build the perfect balance between speed and maneuverability. For
example, how would shifting a boat’s daggerboard forwards or backward affect its stability? This was one of
the many questions I had to research while working on my learning goal.

The personal project gave me an opportunity to study and apply hydrodynamics and naval engineering to my
passion for sailing. As I could carry out research for it and understand the principles behind sailing by
practicing the sport outside and thus enjoying the process. This meant that I could also develop my sailing
skills, which include important ATL skills like communication among the crew and critical thinking skills to
solve problems such as knowing what wrongly tensioned rig component is causing it to lose efficiency and

1
how to act accordingly. It also helped me satisfy my curiosity for how naval engineers go about designing
sailing boats that are fast and efficient.

This leads to my learning goal, which is to research and understand the physics behind an effective sailing
boat design. I think this learning goal will allow me to branch out into more specific topics of engineering like
hydrodynamics while keeping it interesting as it goes hand in hand with my passion for sailing and my
curiosity for the engineering innovations that make sailboats more effective and faster. I think that this
learning goal will be challenging to achieve because it will make me step out of my comfort zone and make
me embrace new experiences with different classes of sailing boats to find out what innovation each class
has to improve its effectiveness.

This learning goal is linked to scientific and technical innovation as it requires me to research into engineering
and technical innovation in the field of naval engineering. This is because there is a lot of physics and scientific
explanations in how a sailing boat can operate and go forward using only the power of the wind, it includes
aerodynamics and hydrodynamics since sails use similar principles to wings to generate forward thrust. It will
also require me to innovate to come up with a new sailing boat design concept as explained later by my
product goal.

What is my product goal? Why did I choose it? How is it related to my learning goal? What is the purpose of
my product? What would make my product successful?

My product goal is to design a concept for a new sailing boat design to demonstrate my understanding of
the physics behind a sailing boat’s functionality, using the aid of 3D modeling software. This product goal
is very challenging to achieve because along with gaining further understanding of the various engineering
concepts behind sailing, such as hydrodynamics, I will also have to completely step into the unknown and
learn 3D modeling from scratch using Blender. This is because I don’t take Digital Design as an MYP subject,
which means that I wasn’t taught the skills required to design concepts using 3D CAD. So, along with carrying
out research into engineering, I will also have to read manuals, watch tutorials, and teach myself how to use
Blender to design my concept in 3D and thus learn new skills and step out of my comfort zone as 3D modeling
is something new that I never did before. This also makes it so that I will have to use time management skills
as my project basically has 2 learning goals as my main one is the research into naval engineering and physics
principles of hydrodynamics, but my other non-formally stated learning goal that I will also have to achieve,
is to learn how to model in 3D, otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to achieve my product. This means that I will
have to balance my time effectively as there will be a lot of information to gather between the main learning
goal and the secondary one.

I chose to make this product because, instead of just writing an essay to show my understanding, I will get a
first-hand experience into what it is like to design a boat and put my research and learning goal knowledge
into practice by designing a boat concept using my understanding of the physics principles I researched. It
will also be more interesting and inspiring to design a 3D model rather than just writing a boring essay about
the physics behind it because I also get to learn new skills I never used before, in this case, 3D modeling; this
means that I am less likely to get burnt out from working on the project because I’m constantly challenging
myself by learning new content and constantly learning new skills, which is a good thing. After all, if I get
burnt out then I will lose passion for the project and not work as hard and fail to achieve my product goal in
time.

I made a success criteria for the product based on personal research through books, clinics, personal
experiences, and web pages. For example, I saw many illustrations and descriptions in the books I read and
from that, I made a connection with the various designs for a sailing boat, all of them have the same 4 aspects
to their designs as components in all aspects are vital for the boat’s form to be able to carry out its function
of moving through the water. Through this research, I came up with 5 aspects that assess each category of
vital components for a sailing boat and ensure that the design is liked by possible consumers by assessing the
impact, or in other words, what people think of the design concept.
Table 1

2
Level Sail plan
• Single mainsail with straight leech
• No battens
1-2 • Non-regulable heavily curved and stretched or too tight
• Made of material that is too flexible and weak (cotton, rubber, linen, silk, etc.)
• Sail area: <10m^2

• Mainsail with a leech that is curved on a few points accompanied by jib (manually
regulated)
3-4 • Few half battens on the mainsail
• Non-regulable slightly too stretched or tight
• Made of material that is flexible and durable
• Sail area: 15m^2

• Mainsail with smoothly/regularly curved leech + jib (manually regulated) +

gennaker
5-6 • A mix of full and half battens to maintain a consistent shape
• Regulable and correct sail shape (balanced between slack and tight)
• Made of durable, rigid material that is still foldable
• Sail area: 17m ^2
• The gennaker is slack but not in an accurate triangular shape
• Mainsail with heavily curved leech (almost square) + self-tacking jib + oversized
gennaker (area: 20m2+ )
7-8 • Fully battened
• Consistent high-lift shape with barely any regulations needed
• Made of durable, rigid material that is still foldable
• Sail area: >20m^2
• Gennaker has plenty of surface area and can inflate to look like a balloon
Hull construction
• Square-like hull
• Relies on weight stability
• Draft: >30cm
• Requires extra buoyancy assistance if capsized
• Water must be removed manually if it gets in
• Made of heavy and/or flimsy material (cardboard, wood, etc.)
• Length: <2.5m
• Hull is slightly more aerodynamic (sharper) but still square-like
• Mostly relies on weight stability but also on form stability
• Draft: 20-30 cm
• Does not require extra buoyancy assistance when capsized
• Water must be removed manually if it gets in
• Made of durable yet heavy material (rotomolded plastic)
• Length: 2.5-4m
• Hull is aerodynamic (less surface area at the front but more at the back) in an arrow shape
• Mostly relies on shape stability as it is lighter
• Draft: 10-20 cm
• Does not require extra buoyancy assistance when capsized
• Water can exit the hull by itself (open back)
• Made of durable and light material (fiberglass)
• Length: 4-5m
• Relies on shape stability

3
 • Highly aerodynamic hull with a balance of wide parts to grant stability but also thin parts to be
aerodynamic
• Draft: <10 cm
• Water can exit the hull by itself (open back)
• Made of durable and ultralight material (carbon fiber, graphene sheets)
• Length >5m

Underwater parts (keel, rudder)

• Keel is fixed to the boat and can’t be raised
• Very simple keel shape (rectangle)
• No consideration for hydrodynamics
• Rudder fixed making it impossible to lift
• Material is flimsy (wood, plastic)
• Keel is fixed to the boat and can’t be raised
• Keel shape is slightly more hydrodynamic (simple triangle)
• Slight consideration for hydrodynamics reflected in both appendices’ profiles (more rounded
profiles)
• Rudder can be raised thanks to a pivot point mechanism
• Material is durable and can withstand high torque (fiberglass, stainless steel)
• Keel is movable and can be raised to ease beaching (completely removed from the boat)
• Keel shape is hydrodynamic (ellipse or droplet shape)
• Vast consideration for hydrodynamics reflected in both appendices’ profiles
• Rudder can be raised thanks to a pivot point mechanism
• Material is durable and can withstand high torque (fiberglass, stainless steel)
• Keel is movable and can be raised to ease beaching (pin pivot mechanism for the daggerboard to
rotate on and be stored directly on the boat for convenience)
• Keel shape is hydrodynamic (droplet or ellipse, more at the deepest appendix)
• Full, in-depth consideration for hydrodynamics reflected in both appendices’ profiles
• Rudder can be raised thanks to a pivot point mechanism
• Material is durable but also takes into consideration weight (carbon fiber)
Mast and rig regulations Impact
• Mast has a simple non-aerodynamic shape (rectangle) • An expert
• Mast is fixed and can’t rotate rates the
• Mast has no support from front or side shrouds product
• Mast can support the mainsail in a basic way (no rail or cam cleat to below a
secure the mainsail) 4/10
• Boom is fixed to the mast and can’t move freely
• The only regulation possible is the main sheet
• Ropes are flimsy and have no intertwining to increase their strength
• No safety features such as anti-slip pads or rough surfaces to increase
adherence
• Mast has a simple aerodynamic shape (triangle) • An expert
• Mast is fixed and can’t rotate rates the
• Mast has support from front and side shrouds product a 4
• Mast can support the mainsail securely (has a rail to slide the mainsail or 5 out of
into) 10
• Boom is fixed to the mast but can move from side to side
• Mainsheet + 1 other mainsail regulation
• Ropes are flimsy and have no intertwining to increase their strength

4
 • Bulky rubber anti slips pads that can compromise aesthetics/ability to
move around the vessel

• Mast has an aerodynamic shape (ellipse) • An expert

• Mast can rotate freely thanks to a base that resembles a ball-and-socket rates the
joint product a 6
• Mast has support from front and side shrouds to 8 out of
• Mast can support the mainsail securely (has a rail to slide the mainsail 10
into)
• Boom is fixed to the mast but can move in any direction thanks to a
multidirectional joint
• Mainsheet + 2 other mainsail regulations
• Ropes have intertwining to increase their strength
• Roughened surfaces/thin rubber anti slips pads of a different color
compared to the hull and maintain the hull’s aerodynamic profile by not
changing the cross section too noticeably
• Mast has an aerodynamic shape, in depth consideration of aerodynamics • An expert
reflected (rounded kite shape) rates the
• Mast can rotate freely thanks to a base that resembles a ball-and-socket product a
joint 9/10 or
• Mast has support from front and side shrouds above
• Mast can support the mainsail securely (has a rail to slide the mainsail
into)
• Boom is fixed to the mast but can move in any direction thanks to a
multidirectional joint
• Mainsheet + 3 or more other mainsail regulations
• Ropes have intertwining to increase their strength
• Trapezes to increase righting momentum and to secure crew on board +
thin anti slip pads made of rubber to increase friction with the feet of the
sailors and prevent thus users from slipping

These aspects I set are specific in the fact that each aspect takes a core part of a sailing boat and then assesses
each component on 4 different levels for it as each level gets progressively more challenging to achieve. The
aspects are measurable mostly through the use of qualitative measurements as most strands are viewed as
successful if the part is present or has certain characteristics such as form and/or is made of different
materials that are required to be used to reach the specified level descriptor. However, there are a few parts
such as the sail area that are measured quantitatively as a set measure of total sail area in m2 is required to
reach each level. They are also realistic as it isn’t too easy to achieve the lower bands such as 3-4 as there are
specific strands that must all be achieved to move to the next level and can be quite difficult to achieve with
no prior experience with 3D modeling. Meanwhile, the level 7-8 aspect expectations are achievable but very
challenging to do so as they require to extend past what are the basic requirements of a sailing boat and get
into more performance and racing-oriented features.

How did I plan to achieve my product and learning goals? Is my plan tied to success criteria and ATL skills?

I made two separate action plans to achieve my learning and product goals. I used those plans throughout
the summer break to make sure I was on track with the progress of my product because I knew that in the
summer break it would be pretty easy to get distracted as you would spend more time away from the

5
computer to take a break from school, so I made sure that I set myself days and weeks where I could focus
on working but also have weeks where I could just take a break from working to avoid burnout.

My two plans were made on Microsoft Excel and an app called “Trello”. The one made on excel is a long-
term plan with dates and to-dos for each task. This is a long-term plan that ran from June until September,
and it was made with the intent of planning the research and work towards the learning and product goal,
such as planning on what weeks should I do what type of research (whether it is the clinics at the camp or
going to the public library to read books).
The second plan is a short-term plan made while I was making the product, it doesn’t contain dates, but it is
a to-do list that puts the various steps required to meet the success criteria in a logical order so that I’m
organized, and I directly know what to do once I finish making one component. This is to ensure I don’t waste
time trying to find out what component to work on next based on what I already have as I already have an
ordered, planned list of what to start working on in order. This is also why I don’t have dates to finish the
parts of the model, because of my little experience with 3D modeling, I only knew a very broad estimate of
how much time it would take to make each component so I preferred to not add dates as that would confuse
me and probably put unneeded artificial stress over completing small tasks on deadlines that could end up
being too tight.

I used transfer skills as I applied my knowledge from other subjects in this project thus transferring my
existing knowledge of physics principles to the project and combining it with my newfound knowledge of 3D
modeling and thus digital design. I’m also transferring my knowledge from extended math to make
measurements in a virtual 3D workspace with a downscaled version of the vessel to make it easier to work
with, it also implies using Pythagoras’ theorem to calculate the length of the sail’s leech.
I also used research skills to get the information required for knowledge to build this vessel and make it as
plausible to build as possible. I did this by using various types of sources such as clinics, books, and websites
to extend my knowledge of sailing and the engineering behind it. This is because websites only would not
provide enough satisfactory information about sailing as they would either be inconclusive or put it in a way
too complicated way with no illustration, and since I prefer visual ways of knowing, websites wouldn’t fit me.
I also used first-hand experiences along with the clinics because I believe that getting your hands on
something and using it in experiences is the best way to learn how it works as it allows you to explore anything
that you want about the topic that you’re learning and experiment with it, doing all of that at your own pace
without feeling forced to change your way of learning to fit a standard or time constraint but still with the
help of a guide to making sure you remain on the right track for learning, which is why I think that lightly
controlled free hands-on learning experiences are the best ways to learn new knowledge and skills as they
also include other ATL skills such as communication and social skills as in sailing you constantly have to
communicate with your crew to be able to safely conduct the boat. It also requires thinking skills to make
quick decisions for problem-solving, for example when you’re in a tight situation where you’re in route of an
obstacle and must turn away from it. Self-management skills are also part of this as you must manage your
behavior aboard and maintain your composure to avoid panicking and making the situation more dangerous.

Image 1

6
Table 2

How were the ATL skills used to achieve my learning goal?

I used research skills in the process of achieving my learning goal. I mostly used the specific ATL skill of media
literacy. This is because I used many resources of different types such as books, websites, lessons, and
firsthand experiences. I then evaluated the various sources and used the CRAAP format to assess the
resources and ensure their reliability before using them. I also used cross-referencing to make sure that my
resources were reliable by ensuring that every source agreed with each other. The CRAAP format allows me
to think critically and analyse a source through different aspects that define a source’s accuracy. It allows me
to research into these aspects to find out everything about the origin and purpose of the source and then
come up with values and limitations in order to reach a final verdict on whether to use the source or not.

Table 3
Source Currency Relevance Authority Accuracy Purpose Verdict
name/for
mat
Twenty It is an old The source relates I think the The The source I will use
First source so it to my topic information is information was made this source
Symposiu might have because it reliable because it comes from a with the because I
m on outdated explains the is authoritative as university purpose of feel like it is
Naval information science to its domain is .edu which makes informing profession
Aerodyna since new improving the which makes it it a reliable people on al and
mics discoveries performance of a educational. The source as the reliable
(1997) (J. could’ve been sailing boat. I will source is written university are aerodynami thus it will
Milgram) made in the 20+ use this source as by a university paid to teach cs of a put me on
(website) years the well as others I professor whose their sailing boat the right
source has been checked with, just job is to teach students with track for
out. to be sure. people, which accurate my
makes it reliable. resources. personal
project.

7
Phipps, T. The book was The information The source was The source The I will use
and published in fits my needs made by Tom provides purpose of this source
Phipps, B. 2017 which because it Phipps, a images for this source because I
The makes the explains the use professional sailor most of the is to help find it very
Catamara information and need of each who knows a lot explained people of reliable as
n Book: current and up individual about sailing as he concepts and various skill it was
Catamara to date, component in a gained these images levels in written by
n Sailing especially sailing boat, international perfectly fit sailing to an expert.
from seeing how which will help me recognition in the the improve at Also, since
Start to information on to understand and sport as he won explanation the sport I’m a visual
Finish sailing explains sailing various national provided, learner, I
(book) techniques techniques in and placed high in showing that will make
doesn’t degrade detail. international the good use
too quickly titles. explanations of the
because of how are correct. many
much time it illustration
takes for s provided
companies to on the
design book along
completely new with the
boat models explanatio
with different ns
mechanics
Faircloug It is an aging It is relevant to my The company that After The source I will use
h, C. source due to research as it published this blog checking with was made this source
(2015). E its creation in explains the (COMSOL) makes my physics to inform because it
xploring 2015 but due to physics principles physics simulation teacher, I people provides
the physics behind a sailing software which concluded about the accurate
Venturi principles rarely boat thus it will means that they that the venturi informatio
Effect. ever changing help me must have a good information effect n
the information understand the understanding of regarding the
can’t be engineering physics venturi effect
outdated behind it is accurate
and not
misleading
Giacomo The source It is relevant The author got the The source is
The source I will use
Giulietta wasn’t made because it help of big yacht reliable
was made this source
(2018). V too recently but explains and clubs (such as because it
to inform because it
ela: information illustrates physics Italian yacht club fully agrees
people and provides
Manuale about physics principles that will Punta Ala) in on all the
introduce and
Pratico principles help me design writing this book, points made
them to the illustrates
per doesn’t get my product big yacht clubs like with other
sport of accurate
Prendere outdated often these have huge sources listed
sailing by informatio
Il Mare authority on the teaching n and has
(book) matter as they them the very good
introduce many basics as authority
people to the well as
sport explaining
how a
sailing boat
works
North The source was It is relevant to my North sails is a big The source is The source I will use
Sails made in 2019 so project as it will company that accurate was made this source

8
(2019). H the information help me to design produces sails and because it to inform because it
ow Sails is current and a sail profile is the first choice gives a clear people on is very
Work. up to date for many representatio how sails reliable
(website) professional n of how sails work and easy to
sailors so they work and understan
have a history of agrees with d
excellence and other sources
authority
2 week The course was It is relevant to my The school is old The accuracy The course I will use
sailing taken in project because it and has a history may vary was made this source
course at summer 2021 allowed me to of raising because of to introduce because I
sailing so the learn about sailing successful sailors how the people to feel like a
school information is from and is different sailing but hands one
(Centro very up to date professionals and internationally instructors also train experience
Velico and recent get a hands-on recognized as one had their own advanced is the best
Caprera) experience on of the best in the way of sailors to way to
(course/c sailing boats world as it attracts teaching race at learn
lass/inter expert sailors from which professional about a
view/ across Italy to sometimes levels concept
firsthand teach disagreed and this is a
experienc masterclasses with other really good
e) there. sources. change to
get plenty
of hands
on
experience
s with
sailing
boats.

This table shows proof of me using the CRAAP format to analyze the source’s validity by looking at their
content, origin, and purpose. I then explained a final decision for using the source in the end. This shows my
media literacy skills because I was able to use many different sources and types of sources and consistently
evaluate them. I was also able to use sources in different languages (English and Italian) to refine my bilingual
skills.

The books I used. (Image 2)

9
Proof of my hands-on experience for research on a 2-man sailing boat. (Image 3)

How were the ATL skills used to achieve the product goal?
To achieve my product goal, I used creative and critical thinking skills. This is because I combined the problem-
solving ability that comes with critical thinking skills with creative solutions to solve problems such as the
need for a specifically designed part for the model that was very difficult to design.
The greatest example of this creative problem solving is when I had to design the gennaker sail for the model.
The gennaker is a very thin sail that expands and inflates outwards like a balloon, replicating this shape was
extremely difficult to do out of a semi-sphere—what would initially make sense to use as it already is close
to the balloon shape that the gennaker naturally has. So instead, I used a plane, a simple 2D square, which I
then cut into a triangle and then, using the modeling tool in blender, pulled each vertex of the plane
individually to create a desired balloon shape. However, I wasn’t happy as the balloon shape lacked
smoothness and looked far from a real gennaker. So, I had to come up with a creative way to solve my
problem using the software’s resources to smooth out the shape. So, I used a blender modifier to smooth
the shape out and further pull the vertices to make a balloon shape that resembled the gennaker as closely
as possible.

No modifier (before) With modifier and smooth shading (after)

Image 4 Image 5

This mix of creative and problem-solving skills also came in very handy when making complicated shapes for
parts and most importantly, when setting materials for the final render without being able to preview them
as with my limited hardware I couldn’t render in real-time at fast enough speeds to properly preview
materials and their light-reflecting properties, so I had to think critically and formulate a solution where I
would set the various values such as transmission, colors, and roughness to the closest possible theoretical
look that I wanted as to cut down on render times.

Another way I used critical thinking skills to solve problems was by combatting one of my biggest issues in
the final rendering process: noise. The noise was caused by a lack of sampling. An obvious way to decrease
or remove noise is to increase sampling size, however, this would also significantly increase render times,
which is not good as long render times can cut down on productivity and have huge time costs if a mistake
was made and the render must be repeated. Instead, I used one of blender’s nodes and set up an AI denoiser
that would fix noise by guessing how the image should actually look like and then making image edits
accordingly. This worked well and allowed me to keep render times reasonable at just below 1 hour while
mostly getting rid of the noise.

10
 Image 6

What impact did the product have on my learning?

I made considerable progress with my learning goal. I learned a lot about how sailing boats work, mostly from
the 2-week camp at the school. This is because, as I expected, getting a hands-on experience for 2 weeks on
a sailing boat did help me grasp the information about how the design of a sailing boat would impact its
performance, as well as fully learning how to operate one. I also learned other important lessons throughout
the process, here’s a chart to show it.

Table 2
What I already knew What I wanted to know What I learned
I already knew some aspects of I wanted to learn how a sail I learned about the Bernoulli
sailing boat design but with a very worked as it is the main engine of principle. This principle states
shallow understanding. the boat that propels it forward. I that a liquid flowing through a
One of those aspects was how a needed to know this because pipe will have its velocity
shape is aerodynamic. An knowing how a sail works would increased when it passes through
aerodynamic shape can evenly help me to design one a more constricted area of the
slip the airflow between two thoughtfully. I would also want to pipe. This can be applied to a
sides by causing minimum know more physics principles of wing as wings have a longer
turbulence. how a sailing boat functions to surface on top of them compared
I also already knew what explain it and to be able to make to the bottom. This will cause the
materials a boat should use to be the design more thoughtful as the air passing on top of the wing to
durable but also lightweight to physics principles need to be kept flow faster which will make it
improve performance. The in mind to design a functioning have less pressure exerted on top
materials I knew could be used sailing boat. of the wing as faster flowing air
were fiberglass as it is a has less force exerted on the wing
lightweight material that is also because faster air has less particle
durable. density. On the bottom of the
I also already knew some basic wing, air will have more pressure
physics principles such as the because the air particles will be
forces that cat on the boat such as slower due to there being less
upthrust from the water, lift from distance for the particles to
the sail, righting momentum, cover. This means that more
forward thrust, and drag. The last particles will pile up under the
one especially as it ties in with the wind causing a higher pressure
fact that aerodynamic under it generating lift. This wing
components are needed in the principle also applied to a sail.
water as well in order to minimize Hence how a sail works.
water displaced by the boat and I also learned that a sail can be
regulated in order to change its

11
 thus drag that can considerably shape and angulation as to
slow the vessel down. change how it behaves as a wing.
I also learned about how a hull’s
shape is adapted to do its job.
Hulls rely on both shape and
weight stability in order to
prevent capsizing. Shape stability
has the hull rely on its geometry
to avoid tipping over. Meanwhile
a weight stability-based hull relies
on its weight in order to remain
stable.
I already knew how operate a How to operate a sailing boat How to use a gennaker and a
sailing boat. This is because, as with more advanced techniques trapeze. This expanded my
stated in the criterion A part of to make it more fun and push to knowledge of sailing boats as I
the report, I started sailing at a higher speeds. As well as never used a gennaker or a
young age in a swiss sailing club. I challenging myself by trying new trapeze before and getting to use
learned how to operate the types of sailing boats with them really helped me
Optimist, a small one-handed different designs. I also wanted to understand how they functioned
sailing boat. That experience learn how to work closely in a and what was their purpose as
taught me how to hold the rudder crew and really build well as the reason behind their
and the mainsheet. How to use collaboration skills as they’re very design. I also learned how to
the mainsheet to regulate the important in sailing and building conduct a boat in complete safety
mainsail according to the wind them out at sea will also help me and some utility techniques like
strength and direction. I also in my day-to-day life as I’m met how to dock to a mooring, how to
learned how to perform tacking with different problems that I will rig a sailing boat and mount each
and gybing maneuvers (making have to solve by working in a specific component and how to
the boat turn) with the correct team. change the rig according to
technique. Since majority of small specific needs created by varying
sailing boats have the basics wind conditions.
centered around the same I also learned the importance of
mainsheet and rudder system for communication as it was very
the helmsman to use to control important to communicate with a
the boat, once the basics of the crewmate out at sea all the time
system are learned they can be to coordinate maneuvers and
applied to other type of sailing making sure that both people on
boat with little to no variation. the boat knew exactly what will
The only thing that changes is happen so that both members
that more advanced boats have can do the required actions, such
more lines to control by other as sheeting in or changing the
crew members (such lines could rudder position, this is very
be gennaker and jib sheets). important because if proper
communication wasn’t achieved
it could put the crewmates in
danger as not knowing what one
person will do will cause the other
person to be caught off-guard
and fall victim to an accident and
possibly get injured.

The making of the project changed the way I look at design processes for products. Before I used to
underestimate the fact that planning was needed to be able to have a smooth process and get to the finished
product as efficiently as possible. I ended up working on the 3D model over a span of 9 consecutive days plus
a few more over the following weeks to complete the product. I had to do some small-scale short-term

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planning to have an order as to what parts I wanted to design first. Many parts had to be designed before
specific other parts because the initial parts would need to support the parts coming after them.

I also developed my inference skills as, although I did watch tutorials, most of my blender knowledge and
techniques to make parts came from me playing around with the software and discovering features that
would help me to make my product. And researching on Google if I was really lost in an issue and took too
long to discover a solution for it. The fact that I had to learn how to use 3D modeling software to complete
my product was an extra challenge and can be considered as a second non-declared learning goal for my
personal project. This means I learned two completely different topics in the same project and combined
them to make a product. I’m very proud that I was able to learn how to use 3D modeling software in this
short of a time span and be able to use the skills to design a product that I’m satisfied with.
I also developed as a learner in general specifically through some of the IB learner profiles along the way
while I was working on the project.

Table 3
Learner profile How was it used Evidence
Risk-taker I took the risk of really challenging myself by The fact that my learning
making my product on software that I didn’t goal was a to learn about
know how to use and thus forcing me to the physics and then my
challenge myself and develop my skills in 3D product goal implied that
modeling. This allowed me to branch out I also had to learn how to
more and allow my personal project to teach use 3D modeling to apply
me multiple different skills and content. the knowledge
Communicator I was able to communicate with my peers, An interview with my
supervisor, teachers, and family members. To uncle (for product
be able to find adequate information that feedback) (transcript put
would help me with my project. later in the document).
When I was getting my hands-on experiences A picture of me sailing
to research for my learning goal, I had to with a peer and
collaborate with my crewmate on the boat to communicating while in a
sail as efficiently and fluently as possible risky position to maintain
without compromising anyone’s safety. safety (shared earlier in
the criterion B section).
Open-minded I listened to criticism on my product and my (Interview attached in
process from my supervisor, expert, and “impact” section of
peers. I used their ideas to help improve my success criteria
product through the feedback they gave me evaluation)
about aspects they though needed more
attention. I also considered multiple topics
outside

How did my product achieve the various success criteria?

After finishing my product, I looked at what aspects it had and their quality, the looked at my success criteria.
I used the success criteria to grade my product based on the 5 aspects it covered.

Table 4
Aspect Level Explanation
Sail plan 7 The mainsail has a heavily curved leech and a self-tacking jib that doesn’t require
the crew to tack manually as it is all done automatically through a rail mechanism.
The material is Kevlar which is rigid enough for a durable and high-quality sail that
is however still foldable. The mainsail is also fully battened for extra rigidity. It also
has an area of more than 40m2 when the gennaker is included making it fully meet
the highest strand for sail area.

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 The reason it doesn’t get an 8 is that the sail shade doesn’t fully meet the 3rd strand
of having a consistent and high lift shape because the shape is consistent, but it is
too thin to have the maximum lift. The gennaker is also large enough and has a
balloon shape as required by the level 7-8 strand. The gennaker also achieves the
intended balloon shape.
Next time I would make the mainsail double as this is the best way to increase
thickness without having to do a major redesign of the mainsail or mast.
Hull 6
construction

Image 7
The hull is very aerodynamic as also stated by my uncle in the previous interview.
However, the construction can’t go higher than a 5-6 because it is not longer than
5 meters as required by the level 7-8 strand as well as for the fact that the draft
can’t be lower than 10cm with this design because its height is already 30cm this
means that the draft would be too shallow causing too much instability on the boat
(Kendall, 2019). The hull does have enough width and low weight to be able to
have good shape stability hence giving it a 7-8 on the strand. Next time to reach
levels 7-8 I should make the hull longer and redesign the parts around it to
accommodate for a longer hull.
Underwater 6 The keel is movable and can be removed from its housing to improve flexibility and
parts transportability. This allows for the boat to be easily beached without putting risks
to the equipment being damaged. However, it can’t achieve a level 7 because it
does not have a pivot mechanism. It is made of fiberglass because it is durable and
cheaper than fiberglass, however, this prevents it from achieving a level 7. As
stated by my uncle, aerodynamics are considered thoroughly in the keel allowing
it to reach a level 6 as the keel has a droplet shape, this also applies to the rudder.
Next time I should redesign the keel and conduct further research and also try to
simulate the piece’s aerodynamics to ensure that the part can achieve peak
performance.
Mast and rig 7 The mast and rig components achieve a level 7 because they have all the features
regulations required in the strands except for a trapeze. The mast does have shrouds to
support it, a ball and socket mechanism to allow it to rotate freely, a rounded kite
shape with a rail to fit in the mainsail as shown by this cross-section:

Image 8
There are also 3 different ways to regulate the sail (halyard, outhaul, downhaul) as
well as ropes with intertwining to increase their strength.

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 Impact 6 The project had a positive impact as I interviewed my uncle, who works as a
designer for an Italian firm. He gave me feedback on the model as well as a final
score. Here is the transcript of the interview.
1. What is the first thing about the concept that catches your eye?
It is modular and can be easily transported.
2. Do you find the various components to be aerodynamic?
Yes, absolutely, the hull has a very elongated and sharp tip that makes it
aerodynamic and streamlined.
3. How photorealistic is the model?
Could be more photorealistic. The textures don’t look very credible.
4. How polished is the render?
It is very polished, and it is easy to understand what is going on in the
scene.
5. What aspect of the model would require more attention put towards it?
The junctions between parts. Especially in the hull and the daggerboard
lifting mechanism. They’re not very seamless.
6. How would you improve the parts you pointed out in the previous answer?
Use modifiers such as the Boolean modifier to join the parts more
seamlessly.
7. Rate the overall concept out of 10 with a brief explanation to the rating
8/10. I like the concept of aerodynamics and modularity. I think there
should more attention put in the smaller parts such as the mechanism to
join the hull together.
If I had to do the product again, I would completely redesign the boat to have multiple hulls and no
daggerboards as an extra challenge for me but also to experiment with new designs to see which one could
be the most efficient. I’d also try to use more realistic textures and animate the boat sailing over water to
provide a more realistic concept for people to better understand the function of the boat.

Conclusion: What were some challenges I faced and how did I overcome them? What are some limitations
to my process?
In conclusion, the personal project helped me to really build on my skills by using them in a real-life scenario
where I didn’t have guidance from the teacher inside the classroom to be able to complete my product, but
I had to go out to find my own source and get my own experience to work towards a goal that I set myself
and was passionate about.
There were some shortcomings of the project, however, mostly the fact that I was inefficient with my
workflow during the making of the product. This was mostly due to me learning how to use Blender while
also designing the boat. This meant that I spent a lot of time doing trial and error on parts and scrapping a
lot of work. This is why if I had to do my project again, I would first completely learn blender and then start
designing. But in this situation, it was beneficial because I could use this experience to really develop my ATL
skill of critical thinking as I had to infer and solve a lot of problems along the way also using my transfer skills
to apply the knowledge I learned before to new and unfamiliar situations to solve problems that would’ve
otherwise been huge roadblocks.
All of this while also using my time management skills to be able to complete everything within the deadline
set by the school to complete the product.
Some events were out of my control such as my inability to receive responses from the sailing club I contacted
to give me feedback on my product. But I was able to use other means of getting feedback so in the end, it
never really was a roadblock.
I feel like my success criteria and the standards I put for myself were adequate as they really challenged my
skills but were also not impossible to reach. I feel like I could’ve reached 8 in every aspect if I took more time
to complete to product but if I had infinite time, it would’ve never been the same experience as to how it
really is in real life. As everything in life has a limited time window to it so it is vital for people to develop their
time management skills to be able to be the most successful, both in the personal project but in life in general.

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