Thank you to all who took the survey, I now have enough responses to continue with my project and so I have closed the survey. For all those concerned, I took Design and Technology at GCSE and came out with an 8 (which in the old grading system is an A*), so I am confident in my knowledge of the specification that the questions I asked in the survey has got me the needed information to continue with my project. As stated before, I chose this project because I already have pre-existing knowledge on canal boats, my family owns one which I have in fact sat on the roof of whilst cruising whilst being perfectly safe. I have also driven a canal boat before and have taken the boat in and out of locks competently and safely, I am fully aware of the dangers of working on a canal boat and have already referenced the safety precautions in my work. For those of you who are telling me about the deaths of people whilst using canal boats, thank you, it is definitely my intention to create a theoretical product that turns into a ‘killing seat’.
That being said thank you to others for the well wishes, and advice I have already begun to incorporate some of it in my portfolio. If anyone wishes I will try to keep regular updates on how the project is going, along with final photos of the prototype in a years time.