So, you want to build a search-and-rescue vessel. Here’s how.

Feel free to comment or message me on discord with questions or even life advice. I'm here to help.

Discord: cranberryjooz#9142

Making the hull for your SAR vessel is probably the most important step to ensure you end up with a functional boat.

Making hulls in Stormworks can sometimes be difficult, but once you understand a few key details, you can get the job done. Remember, function over form.

Understanding the center of mass

A big part of making hulls work well in Stormworks is understanding the center of mass and making sure it is in the right spot. Making sure you can see the center of mass is easy, you can enable it by clicking on the button on the right side of the screen.





The center of mass is the point that the hull will "pivot" on, so you need to ensure it's not too far fore or aft. It should also be as close as possible to the centerline of the boat, as the craft will tilt to one side if it isn't. The center of mass also needs to be fairly close to the bottom of the hull, as the boat will capsize if it is too high. I try to get the center of mass at least two-thirds of the boat's height from the top. Here is an example of a properly located center of mass:


(the center of mass is the pink square)


Making the hull work well

Start by making your hull have a V-shaped bow in the front, and make it flatten out towards the back. Many real-life boats are built this way, and it provides good stability but lets the boat plane well.

Place heavy items as low as possible in the hull. (Engines, fuel, batteries) I often make the bottom layer of my hulls the fuel tank. This lets the heavy fuel act as ballast. I also often add a strip of weight blocks down the centerline, as this will move the center of mass low down in the hull. Always think about how you are effecting the center of mass every time you place a block.


The Cabin

Making the cabin or wheelhouse is relatively straightforward, and there's only a few things that can make or break your project.

1. Visibility: Don't be afraid to put a lot of windows in your boat. Not being able to see where you are going is very frustrating, especially in a tense situation. Make sure you can see out of your boat.

2. Watertight: Your cabin needs to be sealed! Sealing your cabin will increase flotation and keep you safe. If you build a custom door, make certain it works and seals, and any of the sliding or hinged doors work.

First things first, don't be afraid to have too much power. You can always reduce power or remove engines, but it can be very hard to add more.

I almost always use propellers. I find fluid jets difficult, and they don't provide the performance and accuracy that I like. I would recommend using props, but it's your boat, not mine. Do what you want.



Prop Location

One thing that can seriously limit speed and performance is the location of the propeller. Don't put the prop on the bottom of the hull, it will make the boat ride rough and you will need to reduce the top speed. I often place the props slightly higher up, making it easier to get good performance.

However, be careful not to put the propellers too high up, as when the boat gets on plane and rises higher our of the water, the props rise as well. Having the props come out of the water will surely effect your performance.



Engine? Motor? Turbine?

I pretty much always use diesel engines. Diesel-Electric systems can provide ease of control, but I have found that they are heavy and often less fuel-efficient. Turbines? No. Sure, they are cool, but they burn way too much fuel to be worth it.

Regarding modular engines- I have yet to be convinced that they are worthy of being the main propulsion system for a SAR vessel. They're just not my thing. I realize that they're a lot more efficient and powerful, but I find them so difficult to set up, configure, and use, especially when the old engines just need fuel, air, exhaust, and cooling to run.

I tend to put plenty of power in my boats. Nobody wants to do 26 MPH for ten or twelve kilometers. I've found that a top speed of 55-70 MPH works best for most boats and is plenty fast.

When choosing which engine or how many engines to run, take note of factors like:

1. Weight
2. Hull shape
3. Fuel consumption
4. Cost

Finding the best engine setup for your boat is a balance between those four factors. Try different setups. Don't assume the first one you try is best. Try out different gear ratios, or propeller setups. If you are using more than one engine, link them together directly, so if one breaks down you can still drive with both props (if you have two).

I have always used liquid cooling systems for my SAR boats. If I plan on jumping waves, I always use an enclosed system, and I would recommend using one. (check out my pilot boat- it's a great example)

Also, do not set the rev limiter high! I have found that engines can be way more efficient when they rev slowly, but with more load. I have made numerous SAR boats, and none of the engines rev over 20 RPS.

Here is a link to my gearbox tuning guide: https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2372884263

I typically use 2-4 medium engines in my average sized boats. I really like their 3x4x7 size, as you can easily fit them underneath the deck or behind a wall.

I used two medium engines on my SAR boat that weighs 4400 kilos dry, and it has a top speed of 70 MPH. They work great. Link: https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2270476815

On my pilot boat, I used four medium engines with a max RPS of 20. It goes about 68 MPH, and weighs 7000 kilos dry. Link: https://steamproxy.net/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2365164626

Ok, so now you've got a boat that floats well and drives good. However, it still can't actually do any missions. Here is a stripped-down list of equipment that every SAR boat needs:

-Bilge Pump
-Beacon Locator
-Heater
-Medium winch (or bigger) at rear of boat
-Large fluid pump for fire hose
-(At least) 5 seats for NPCs
-2+ Welding torches
-2+ Underwater torches
-4+ Medkits
-2+ Defibrillators
-2+ Ropes
-1+ Night vision binocs
-Good lights

If you can check every item off of this list, chances are good that your SAR vessel is going to work.

Bilge pumps are required. I would recommend using at least one large fluid pump, and they don’t weigh too much either. The small pumps can work well for engines, but they don’t flow fast enough to be worthwhile. I have used an engine-powered bilge pump before, and it pumps faster, however it is very complicated and difficult to get to work well. I would recommend using the large electric pumps.

Firefighting is another category that can make or break your SAR build. Fire extinguishers work well, but they are expensive and they of course have limited use. I often connect a large fluid pump to the port on the bottom of a winch, as you can get much better range and power with the hose. Make sure you use a large pump for your firefighting pump.

Seating is another aspect that needs to be paid attention to. Some missions in stormworks require transport of six, seven, or even eight NPCs. Having a lack of seating can cost a lot of time and effort that could easily been avoided.

Okay, so you've got a boat that drives and has a bunch of stuff in it. Now you need to get it to work well.

First: Stabilization system. Go and watch MrNJersey's video titled "Compact boat stabilizer - Stormworks tutorial". It is super easy to do, and provides great results. Be careful- don't put too many stabilization fins. When there are high winds, having too many fins will literally create enough lift to make your boat fly, and this will quickly get old. Example:



Second: Automatic clutch. There are many microcontrollers on the workshop that completely automate the clutch and make it super easy to use.

Third: Radar, Autopilot, etc. Adding things like radar or autopilot can make your SAR mission much easier and enjoyable. There are lots of different systems to add, so I won't get into the little details, but I would recommend putting some in your creation if you can.

Pay attention to where you walk. Do you ever get stuck and have to crouch? Do you come close to falling off of the boat when the sea is rough? Make sure you can access all of the spots you need to without getting caught up.

This section will be pretty straightforward, but it's possibly the most important step.

Try out your boat!

Make sure to pay attention to every last detail, make sure everything works well. Try to notice the little things, like if the lights aren't bright enough, or if you hit your head on something. Make sure to turn off infinite electricity and fuel, as the boat shouldn't need those to function. Crank up the wind and rain, and give it a good shakedown.

Even small details can make or break a SAR boat. Keep that in mind. Good Luck!

This will be the last section of the guide... it's essentially a bunch of tips and tricks that I've found, and they all can contribute to your SAR build.

• Paint your interior light green
  
• make your lights darker
  
• use microcontrollers
  
• use a high and low speed gearbox
  
• add access hatches to repair your bilge pumps
  
• add more bilge pumps
  
• include a lot of rope anchors
  
• paint your engines and transmissions the same color
  
• use the old transmissions
  
• make an automatic bilge pump
  
• include warning lights/buzzers
  
• water turrets are helpful