2025 · Rotomold
T.I.D.E
12-ft rotomolded ocean buoy engineered for harsh marine deployment.
Sketches
Hull and mast forms, explored by hand.
Hull and mast forms, explored by hand.
Form studies in two rows.
Form studies in two rows.
Three forms, drawn larger.
Three forms, drawn larger.
T.I.D.E.
Telemetric Integrated Data Environment · all-weather oceanographic platform
Telemetric Integrated Data Environment · all-weather oceanographic platform
A 12-foot meteorological buoy that has to keep reporting through storm seas, salt spray, UV, and ice. Unattended, with no one aboard to service it.
A 12-foot meteorological buoy that has to keep reporting through storm seas, salt spray, UV, and ice. Unattended, with no one aboard to service it.
Concept brief
An advanced maritime weather station built around a monolithic, rotomolded HDPE shell. It is made to survive extreme oceanic environments while cutting long-term maintenance cost.
An advanced maritime weather station built around a monolithic, rotomolded HDPE shell. It is made to survive extreme oceanic environments while cutting long-term maintenance cost.
Benchmarked against NOMAD and Workhorse
Benchmarked against NOMAD and Workhorse
Competing buoys are heavy, costly to service, and assembled from many welded or fastened parts. A one-piece rotomolded HDPE hull keeps the seam count low and the service interval long.
Competing buoys are heavy, costly to service, and assembled from many welded or fastened parts. A one-piece rotomolded HDPE hull keeps the seam count low and the service interval long.
Who it is built for
Who it is built for
Two archetypes drove the brief: Dr. Aris, a researcher who needs trustworthy long-term data, and Marcus, a deployment technician who needs the unit to be fast and safe to handle on a boat deck.
Two archetypes drove the brief: Dr. Aris, a researcher who needs trustworthy long-term data, and Marcus, a deployment technician who needs the unit to be fast and safe to handle on a boat deck.
Power and sensing payload
Power and sensing payload
Solar panels and a wind turbine keep the station charged. LiDAR and a data logger record conditions, and foam insulation protects the electronics from cold.
Solar panels and a wind turbine keep the station charged. LiDAR and a data logger record conditions, and foam insulation protects the electronics from cold.
Built for the Arctic
Built for the Arctic
Rotomolded HDPE stays tough in cold, and the insulated shell keeps the electronics running through ice. Safety Yellow and matte black keep the buoy visible to vessels.
Rotomolded HDPE stays tough in cold, and the insulated shell keeps the electronics running through ice. Safety Yellow and matte black keep the buoy visible to vessels.
Refinements for real deployment
Refinements for real deployment
Grip texture for wet gloves, an airtight latch, and recovery rails make the buoy easier to handle, seal, and retrieve at sea.
Grip texture for wet gloves, an airtight latch, and recovery rails make the buoy easier to handle, seal, and retrieve at sea.
Rotomolding
Rotomolding
Zinc die-cast
Zinc die-cast
Maritime
Maritime
All-weather
All-weather
At a glance
Role
Industrial designer
Industrial designer
Focus
Rotomolded buoy
Rotomolded buoy
Skills
Rotomolding · CMF · DFM
Rotomolding · CMF · DFM
The problem
Weather buoys are heavy, costly to service and built from many welded or fastened parts. Salt, ice and shock find every seam.
Weather buoys are heavy, costly to service and built from many welded or fastened parts. Salt, ice and shock find every seam.
T.I.D.E. is a 12-foot buoy that makes wave and current data easier to collect, and cuts long-term maintenance.
T.I.D.E. is a 12-foot buoy that makes wave and current data easier to collect, and cuts long-term maintenance.
Industry analysis
Weather buoys are tough. They are still hard to service.
Weather buoys are tough. They are still hard to service.
Two benchmark buoys, and where T.I.D.E. fits.
Two benchmark buoys, and where T.I.D.E. fits.
The NOMAD
6 m boat-shaped hull for deep-ocean storms.
6 m boat-shaped hull for deep-ocean storms.
T.I.D.E.
12 ft rotomolded hull, one seamless shell.
12 ft rotomolded hull, one seamless shell.
The Workhorse
3 m discus hull for coastal and deep-ocean monitoring.
3 m discus hull for coastal and deep-ocean monitoring.
Hull shape
Hull shape
Boat-shaped V-hull
Boat-shaped V-hull
Circular cone hybrid
Circular cone hybrid
Circular discus
Circular discus
Material
Material
Heavy-duty aluminum
Heavy-duty aluminum
Rotomolded HDPE, UV and corrosion proof
Rotomolded HDPE, UV and corrosion proof
Welded aluminum or steel
Welded aluminum or steel
Primary strength
Primary strength
Survives extreme waves
Survives extreme waves
Impact-flexible and seamless
Impact-flexible and seamless
Stable platform for wind data
Stable platform for wind data
Housing and shielding
Housing and shielding
Robust hull storage
Robust hull storage
Zinc die-cast core, EMI and thermal shielding
Zinc die-cast core, EMI and thermal shielding
Standard metal or plastic boxes
Standard metal or plastic boxes
Maintenance
Maintenance
Moderate, structural checks
Moderate, structural checks
Minimal
Minimal
High, paint and corrosion
High, paint and corrosion
Both benchmarks are metal that needs paint, welds and checks. T.I.D.E. is one seamless rotomolded shell.
Both benchmarks are metal that needs paint, welds and checks. T.I.D.E. is one seamless rotomolded shell.
How it's powered
A buoy that makes its own power three ways.
A buoy that makes its own power three ways.
· Solar: a semi-flexible marine solar top keeps the batteries charged
· Solar: a semi-flexible marine solar top keeps the batteries charged
· Wind: turbines on the mast collect wind data and power the buoy
· Wind: turbines on the mast collect wind data and power the buoy
· Waves: a mass inside the hull moves up and down with the swell to generate power
· Waves: a mass inside the hull moves up and down with the swell to generate power
· Rotomolded HDPE keeps the whole system buoyant, so it floats and collects wave and current data
· Rotomolded HDPE keeps the whole system buoyant, so it floats and collects wave and current data
Technical assembly
Hull, mast and internal mechanism, designed so it can be rotomolded and serviced.
Hull, mast and internal mechanism, designed so it can be rotomolded and serviced.
Black stained glass lens.
Black stained glass lens.
Bathymetric LiDAR.
Bathymetric LiDAR.
Wind turbines.
Wind turbines.
Semi-Flexible Solar Cells.
Semi-Flexible Solar Cells.
Multichannel Data Logger.
Multichannel Data Logger.
Molded with foam insulation in the inner walls.
Molded with foam insulation in the inner walls.
Wind turbines
Turbines on the mast collect wind data and add clean power to keep the buoy running.
Turbines on the mast collect wind data and add clean power to keep the buoy running.
Specs
Rotomolded HDPE
Rotomolded HDPE
12 ft tall
12 ft tall
Solar powered
Solar powered
Wind turbines
Wind turbines
Wave-powered core
Wave-powered core
Sealed, buoyant hull
Sealed, buoyant hull
IALA marking
LiDAR-friendly matte
LiDAR-friendly matte
Safety Yellow
Safety Yellow
Matte Black
Matte Black
Wave data
Wave data
Current data
Current data
Materials & finishes
Rotomolded in two colors: Safety Yellow for visibility at sea, Matte Black on the solar top and mast. The matte surfaces cut glare for LiDAR, and the marking follows IALA guidance.
Rotomolded in two colors: Safety Yellow for visibility at sea, Matte Black on the solar top and mast. The matte surfaces cut glare for LiDAR, and the marking follows IALA guidance.
Safety Yellow
Hull
Matte Black
Solar top and mast
Solar top charges the batteries and carries the sensors.
Solar top charges the batteries and carries the sensors.
Wind turbines on the mast measure wind and add power.
Wind turbines on the mast measure wind and add power.
Internal moving mass generates power from wave motion.
Internal moving mass generates power from wave motion.
Sealed rotomolded hull keeps electronics dry and the buoy afloat.
Sealed rotomolded hull keeps electronics dry and the buoy afloat.
Outcome
One 12-foot buoy that makes wave and current data easier to collect, powers itself from sun, wind and waves, and floats on its own seamless rotomolded hull.
One 12-foot buoy that makes wave and current data easier to collect, powers itself from sun, wind and waves, and floats on its own seamless rotomolded hull.