Anybody uses hull design software? Freeship, Delftship etc.

[-kno3-]

Hello!
What software do you sue for designing hulls? I am looking for something that allows me to easily print the plan, with the shapes of keel and ribs etc. I came across Freeship, Delftship, but don't have any experience with them yet. what would you recommend?

I started playing yesterday with Freeship. Looks pretty interesting but I couldn't find out if it offers the possibility of printing a plan of the hull with sections for the ribs/frames, to be used as templates for cutting.
Has anybody here used it for that purpose? If yes, how does one do it?

[rmdesignworks]

try cadstd.com,,,,freeware program if you use for private use,,,buy if you use for selling plans,,,very good for new cad users,,,,thomas @ rmdesignworks

[tigerbay]

Hi KNO

There have been several discussion on forum on this the last year. Try doing a search for Delftship on here and if not on here then try on Modelboatmayhem forum.

I think the consensus is that most CAD packages are too complex for the non CAD trained person to learn and get a decent return for the time invested. If my memory is correct then delftship is easy until you want to get section off of it.

There is another thread on the Sailboat page on here http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=935236. Someone has just used Delftship to design a hull and may be worth contacting.

I have also been told that the free google tool Sketch up is an easy to use CAD package that more than meets the need of the modeller.

[Phoneman2005]

I use Freeship. You can export the stations to a cad program individuly 1,2,3,4 etc or all in one drawing. you can also export the table of offsets. If you are doing a hard chine vessel you can develop the hull plating and print it out.
It does take a while to get use to and it is geared to the full sized boat builder. You can draw a 100' vessel and then scale it and have your model sizes.

Good luck

Dave