Dog bowl Product Design Project

Pye_End said:
I find a curvy bowl like that goes straight over the fiddles when heeled. The bowl needs to be virtually straight sided, or maybe if the rim of the base was the same diameter of the bowl it would then sit more securely. Preferably melamine for cleanability and its thermal properties.

To the OP - please make the ultimate bowl - I would buy it.
Click to expand...

Dog bowls, have a base wider than the top, so no chance of any overhang of fiddles.
Why ask the OP "please make the ultimate bowl", when the Kennel Club has already invented it. If they put up with excited slavering dogs eating out of them, they certainly are Ok for 'dainty' matelots.
 
I've managed about 40,000 miles without needing to eat out of a dog bowl once, including a Pacific crossing. On a handful of occasions I have placed a boat 'hove to' for a more relaxing meal.
 
BruceDanforth said:
I've managed about 40,000 miles without needing to eat out of a dog bowl once, including a Pacific crossing. On a handful of occasions I have placed a boat 'hove to' for a more relaxing meal.
Click to expand...

In my experience (recent transatlantic, pacific, and Indian ocean crossings) it's not the eating itself that is so much of a problem- as I said earlier, a deep sided bowl filled with curry/pasta etc in one hand and a fork in the other- no problem. We don't eat at a table because we have no cockpit table, prefer to eat together, and someone is always on deck, on watch. However, serving up IS a problem. I still think mine and another poster's idea of a silicone or summat lid that fits a straight, deep sided bowl on top as a lid and on the bottom as a mat/laprest/tray/anti slidey thing might be an answer. All credit to me and them- sorry can't look back to see who else said it- if the idea ever goes into production!
 
I'm with Solent Boy: oiled wood is natural, easy to keep clean, has a nice weight to it (unlike either melamine or steel dog bowls), won't break or chip (unlike ceramic crockery), or dent (unlike metal dog-bowls), and will insulate hot food.

But I think the design can be evolved in two ways:

Firstly, the bowl would need to be turned with a flat bottom for stability, and very little curve where the bottom meets the sidewalls to present a proper stop up against fiddles (whereas a curved turn 'of the bilge' would ride up over them). A 5mm roundover will do the job perfectly - and for aesthetic coherence the top rim of the bowl can have a similar edge-detail.

Secondly, for non-slip functionality, rubber or a similar modern material can be bonded to the bottom (rather than relying on the loose non-slip mesh one normally first has to put on eating surfaces). The rubber (or silicon?) base, and elastic bonding adhesive, would have easily enough stretch to absorb what little movement there is in solid wood as the bowl is repeatedly subject to wetting and drying.

The design can also be extended to a full dining set, as one wouldn't always be eating bowl-food like soup, stew or spag-bol(*). So I'd want flat-bottomed but lightly rimmed main- and side-plates for knife-and-fork meals like cooked breakfasts, meat and two-veg, side-salads, toast and marmalade, etc.

Finally, every boat will be different in terms of storage solutions. My own small boat needs only four of everything, and has four pull-out drawers for crockery, with an internal height restriction of about 2.5" (that's 65mm for the children on this forum). So I'd need to size the deep-rim bowls to fit without stacking in two of the drawers (two each side-by-side), with the main- and side-plates to stack two-high spread between the remaining two drawers.

Tea mugs will continue to be porcelain for use in port or calm conditions, plus a set of insulated metal ones for use in more boisterous conditions and out in the cold. Tumblers and wine-glasses will continue to be plastic.

The only downside to a proposal to use turned wood is that it is unglamorous old-technology - but I think the bonding of a appropriate non-slip, food-hygenic base and a sexy modern section would satisfy the OP's tutors that he is being suitably innovative.


PS (*) my spell-checker thinks I ought to be eating slag-bol!
 
Last edited:
Agree with others serving is more dodgy than eating in most cases. Ok I don't do long passages so its sandwiches pasties and pizza when sailing longer passages I might pre make a stew.

I would suggest by posts on this forum 90% of meals eaten on boats by forumites are eaten at a table in flat conditions whilst moored.

I think these bouls would turn out to be over priced Christmas presents for the man who has everything rather than a useful tool.

If you want to have none slip on the bottom of your boul's, cups, ashtrays or anything else for that matter.. Stick three blobs of silicone sealant on the bottom or glue some cheap rubber none stick matting on.

Might not be as hygenic but it will do the job at a fraction of the cost....
 
onesea said:
Agree with others serving is more dodgy than eating in most cases. Ok I don't do long passages so its sandwiches pasties and pizza when sailing longer passages I might pre make a stew.

I would suggest by posts on this forum 90% of meals eaten on boats by forumites are eaten at a table in flat conditions whilst moored.

I think these bouls would turn out to be over priced Christmas presents for the man who has everything rather than a useful tool.

If you want to have none slip on the bottom of your boul's, cups, ashtrays or anything else for that matter.. Stick three blobs of silicone sealant on the bottom or glue some cheap rubber none stick matting on.

Might not be as hygenic but it will do the job at a fraction of the cost....
Click to expand...

Dog bowls aint expensive.
 
Many thanks for all your feedback. I can confirm that I am well and truly into the research stage and taking everything you have posted into consideration. From your posts and my own research, I have collated the main issues being:

- keeping the food hot whilst ensuring your hand doesn't get too hot when holding
- Storing the bowls and preventing any rattling
- Dishing up the food - more resistance needed on the base
- A silicone lid to prevent spillages (perhaps double this up as a base)
- Food wastage - not able to access all food
- Cleanliness of plastic - 'bugs' in grooves
- Washing it up - must fit in the sink

Key suggestions have pointed to my product needing to look distinctive as well as practical and perhaps looking into a co-ordinated range - cutlery being a crucial part to the design.

Any further points will be much appreciated. I can assure you your efforts are not going to waste.
 
Not totally convinced - if the weather is that bad we probably retreat into 'pot noodle' and 'cuppa soup' territory.
I suppose the hard men in the southern oceans might find these useful.

But cannot see the CiC Domestic Fleet taking kindly to abandoning the regulation crockery. Complains about the use of insulated mugs when on longer passages over the regular cup and saucer.

Probably have to float and be heavy enough to avoid being blown away. Big enough to hold the meal when it returns later.

Cutlery is a 'spork' or a 'foon'
 
onesea said:
I would suggest by posts on this forum 90% of meals eaten on boats by forumites are eaten at a table in flat conditions whilst moored.
Click to expand...

I must be part of the 10% :D

After last week I'll never assume an easy ride and will always have something prepared :)

Great idea. I agree a lid on it is a must, as most spillages for me occur when climbing back into the cockpit or dishing up, would be pretty neat to be able to clip the lid onto the bottom of the bowl.

Otherwise tupperware boxes works for me.

Just another idea, having them colour co-ordinated is good to distinguish who's is who's.

Good luck
 
Whole thing is an excellent idea. The armchair sailors who only go out in a flat calm with linen table cloths can use their china but most of us use some form of bowl.
To have a slot in the side for use as a handle, nonslip bottom rim, curved bottom inner corners and be made in an insulated material. I will be first in the line to buy half a dozen.
 
timmygobang said:
I must be part of the 10% :D

After last week I'll never assume an easy ride and will always have something prepared :)

Great idea. I agree a lid on it is a must, as most spillages for me occur when climbing back into the cockpit or dishing up, would be pretty neat to be able to clip the lid onto the bottom of the bowl.


Just another idea, having them colour co-ordinated is good to distinguish who's is who's.

Good luck
Click to expand...

If they are colour coded, no need for washing up- just make sure they are shallow enough to lick clean- job done!
 
I have just bought two insulated bowls from the local charity shop. They are like s/s dog bowls, encapsulated (I like that word) in moulded grey plastic, with moulded handles on the side. The lids have the same stainless steel linings, fit closely onto the bowl and then held in place by two low profile clips. During my scientific heat test, I poured a mugful of hot water (from the kettle, but had been boiled earlier) into one of the bowls at the end of the Archers omnibus on Sunday. I then promptly forgot about the test. At approximately 15.30 following a long walk with the dogs, I took the lid off. Result - water still hot. I would make such a great scientist!!

Di

PS. they are made in India and I did look up the company, however, I have forgotten the name & I am too lazy/comfy to stand up again.
 
I am currently at the concept development stage of my project and am keen to have input from people who sail to keep my project in line with my target user.

I have generated an easy to read design matrix summarising my key concept ideas for the redesign of the dog bowl. I would really appreciate your thoughts, however, I have been unable to upload it on here due to the file exceeding the capacity allowance.

If anyone is interesting in providing some feedback on my design ideas I could message or email them over. I have also produced some score tables to make it easy to compare the designs.

Please send me a message if you are able to help. Much appreciated.
 
pm sent.

I'd offer to real-life boat test any prototypes, but it might be a tad expensive to get them out to South Africa.

PS btw nice to hear back from you- often people ask for similar help on here for their studies, then we never hear from them again- good on you.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

Frogmogman
My next boat.
2 3
Replies
40
Views
1K
fredrussell
F
Baggywrinkle
Test run of the Lithium system that has been sitting in my cellar for most of this year.
Replies
12
Views
441
Zing
Zing
boatmike
Merry Fisher 695
Replies
3
Views
208
Bouba
Bouba
T
Notices to Mariners - Week 52
Replies
0
Views
356
tillergirl
T

Share this page

Top