The role of a fishing skipper depends on technical parts that, when they fail at sea, can halt an entire day's work. 3D technology offers a practical solution: manufacturing spare parts on demand directly on board. It's not about replacing knowledge of the sea, but about providing the skipper with a tool that reduces dependence on distant ports and speeds up critical repairs.
Design of propellers and adapted nozzles with parametric modeling 🛠️
A concrete example is the manufacturing of a Kort nozzle for an outboard motor. Using programs like Fusion 360 or FreeCAD, the skipper can model a part with the exact measurements of their vessel. The recommended material is carbon fiber reinforced nylon, resistant to salt water. With a printer like the Prusa i3 MK3S, the part is obtained in hours. This allows adjusting the propeller pitch to local draft conditions without waiting weeks for an order.
When the GPS fails, let the filament not fail 🧭
Because yes, onboard electronics are delicate. You might have the plotter screen burned out and the skipper looking at the sky like a 15th-century navigator. But with a 3D printer and an STL file, you can manufacture a new housing for the sensor or a bracket for the radio while you argue whether the correct course is that one or the one indicated by the mobile phone compass. Good thing plastic doesn't get seasick.