Real-Life Decision Making
Currently, a client of yours is sailing the South Pacific on a sailboat
you designed. She was thrilled with the boat. Before she left on her trip,
she asked you to build another for her.
She requested a new yacht that she could take on long trips across the
open ocean. It's a wonderful opportunity, and you look forward to creating
the perfect boat. You won't be able to get in touch with her for several months,
so she left her specific requests with you.
"If any decisions come up about the boat, just use your best judgment.
I trust you," she says.
This is what she says she wants:
- I want to be able to cruise over great distances in the open water.
- I want the boat to be fast.
- Above all else, the boat must run as affordably as possible.
Uh-oh. You have your first problem. "All boats are a compromise,"
says naval architect Pat Bray. "You can't have a fast boat that can go great
distances without refueling."
This is because the fuel needed to operate a fast boat is too heavy to
carry in large amounts. It is also more expensive to run a faster boat.
However, if your client refueled more often, she would be able to travel
at high speeds. So should the boat be able to go a great distance, or should
it be able to go fast?
What do you do?