Best Free or Low Cost Marine Design Software? (2001-2005)

[sdroberts]

Thanks Chandler, I'll take a look at Multi-surf

Steven

[pro_user]

Hi!

SeaSolution V1 is free now. You can download it from www.seasolution.com

[LP]

Originally Posted by sdroberts

I am looking for a free/low cost solution for building an electronic hull model from known offsets. Basically, I want to develop a 3d version of plans I have drawn by hand. The solution must not be limited to hardchined hulls nor be limited to a certain number of stations (or at least allow for up to 15).

Do any of these fit the bill?

Thanks,

Steven

Steven,

I've been messing around with Freeship and may have found a function that suits your needs. If you create a text file with your offset data, you can import that data. Initially, I tried the import lines function under the file menu, but I was getting bad data input. Ths scale was off and the control grid seemed a bit random around the general hull profile. However, there is a function under Tools/Markers/Import that imports your offset markers. Then finally, you can adjust the hull grid to match the marker set.

It's a drawn out process, but it works. It looked like it was fairly accurate. You can place a curve at the desired station by selecting the control grid at that station and then hit Curve/New. Now you can pull the new curve into position over the markercurve with the control grid.

Hope it works for you.

[Tactic]

Steven,
Try Hullform,
You can import a picture file of your existing bodyplan and create your design over the top of it.
Hullform works well for both hardchine and round bilge hullforms.

[LP]

Apparently there is a bug in FREE!Ship 2.0 where the import surface command does not work. It'll be fixed in the next release.

[chandler]

Hey lear.
Thanks for the link to freeship.
As with all cad software I'm muddling my through it. I like the fact that you can almost instantly create a hull shape, whether it's the one you want.

[JR-Shine]

I downloaded Freeship 2.1 and played with it this weekend, am I learing. So far so good

[Admin]

Continued at Best Free or Low Cost Marine Design Software? (2006)