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By Hannah Pittard Savannah College of Art and Design industrial design alumnus and professor Jesus Rojas researched, designed and built a personal rescue watercraft for his industrial design thesis project, on display at the Gulfstream Center for Furniture and Industrial Design on Montgomery Street. He undertook the massive project with the help of a full-sized, working personal watercraft donated to him by Bombardier, a world leader in transportation. "My concern was the growing population conditions on beaches and lack of vehicles and equipment to maintain safety and perform rescue operations by the rescue personnel," said Rojas. "Personal watercrafts have been used in many rescue operations. They can go in areas that are not accessible by other boats. Furthermore, they can travel between 90 and 100 kilometers per hour in rough waves and can be equipped with rescue equipment. The new engines are quieter, more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly." Though personal watercrafts can be used for rescues, Rojas is quick to point out that the current, recreation-oriented design is not ideal. "They have little space to carry victims, and they are designed … to transport people in a seated position," he said. "This position makes it difficult to transport people with broken legs, a broken back or even unconscious." According to Rojas, several "piecemeal" and ultimately unsuccessful solutions have been offered in the past. "The victim is transported on a carrier sled attached to the back of the personal watercraft. These sleds can be complicated to use because the extra length that is added to the watercraft makes it difficult to turn and maneuver. Sled parts wear out easily, causing the sled to detach. In order to use the sled, the victim has to be conscious so they can grab the handle." Rojas described his design solutions as something totally different. "This is a high-performance personal rescue watercraft, not a recreational vehicle like the others and is targeted to be used by lifeguards and the Coast Guard specifically." Rojas said he cut the donated watercraft in half, keeping only the hull and the motor. "Everything else is designed and fabricated by me."
Perhaps one of the most unique and necessary aspects of the rescue craft is the multiuse handles. "The deck has four handles/footsteps on both sides for the victim to pull himself or herself out of the water," said Rojas. "The handles/footsteps can also be used by the lifeguard to assist in pulling a victim toward and onto the watercraft. The handles are ergonomically designed to hold any size of hands and feet; they are covered with a non-slippery polyurethane rubber for better grip. The first two handles are parallel to the back edge of the watercraft making it easy for the victim and lifeguards to hold while in the water. The next six handles are designed with a 15-degree angle inward in relation to the back edge of the watercraft. The purpose of this angle is to give more power to the victims to lift themselves from the water." It took Rojas three quarters to complete the project: one to research, one to design and one to fabricate. Of the final outcome, he said, "I am satisfied." |
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