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

Discussion in 'Software' started by Admin, Jun 15, 2001.

?

What is the best Free or low cost marine design software?

  1. Bearboat

    10 vote(s)
    10.9%
  2. BioDesign

    3 vote(s)
    3.3%
  3. Carene 40 / 50

    6 vote(s)
    6.5%
  4. Carlson Design Hull Designer

    23 vote(s)
    25.0%
  5. Free!ship

    40 vote(s)
    43.5%
  6. HullCAO

    7 vote(s)
    7.6%
  7. Hull Form Free Version

    1 vote(s)
    1.1%
  8. PolyCAD

    2 vote(s)
    2.2%
  9. SDN

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
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  1. Admin
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 50
    Likes: 4, Points: 8

    Admin Administrator

  2. Scott
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 41
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10

    Scott Junior Member

    I just downloaded BioDesign and gave it a try. My first impression is that it is extremely difficult to get started with. I’m impressed by the sample drawings that are included, but I really have respect for whoever created them. I can’t seem to even create a surface after 30 minutes. And I find it difficult to “visualize” the samples. Of course since it is a free version downloaded, I don’t expect the author to spend the time necessary to make it accessible to beginners, so I’m not saying anything against the program, just that it’s not something you can jump into.

    I also downloaded Gregg Carlson’s Chine Hull Designer, and found this program very easy to get started with. Of course I understand there are some projects that will go beyond the limits of what can be done in Hull Designer, but for what it does, it is very intuitive to use. I felt like I could start designing a small boat within a few minutes of installing the program.

    Now to give the others a try :)

    I should say that I sincerely appreciate the people who make these programs available. Everyone works differently and different projects take different tools, so it's good to have options available for those without big budgets.
     
  3. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Both Carene 40 and Carene 50 seem to be interesting programs - but they're parametric only. No hand's on curve editing. But interesting none the less.

    (Bearboat is similar, but is really for kayak shapes only.)
     
  4. Scott
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 41
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10

    Scott Junior Member

    Hullform 6s is also definitely worth a try. It is the most fully-functional program of the list above, except for no dxf output. It runs in DOS mode, which is a little intimidating these days that we're spoiled to windows. It is interesting to see what top-of-the-line software was like in 1994 compared to today as far as the user interface :)

    On a related note, there is also a shareware version of Hullform (Hullform 8SW) which maybe should be on the list. It is fully functional, but limited in the number of sections.
     
  5. Jeff
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 1,368
    Likes: 71, Points: 58, Legacy Rep: 923
    Location: Great Lakes

    Jeff Moderator

    Possibly to this poll we should also add:

    ProChine ($195)

    and

    HullCAO (starts at 76.25 €)

    I know that ProChine is a very nice program and an excellant value. I don't have any experience with HullCAO and just discovered that there was an english version. If anyone has any experience with HullCAO, please post a quick review.
     
  6. Guest

    Guest Guest

    biodesign and displacement

    hello,

    i tried to get the BioDesign and Displacement software (not the Demo) from Yuri Dumchikov. His email does not exist anymore. I cant reach him.

    can anybody help me??

    peter

    email: p_p@mac.com
     
  7. Jeff
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 1,368
    Likes: 71, Points: 58, Legacy Rep: 923
    Location: Great Lakes

    Jeff Moderator

  8. Jeff
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 1,368
    Likes: 71, Points: 58, Legacy Rep: 923
    Location: Great Lakes

    Jeff Moderator

    I discovered a web site for PolyCAD today: http://www.polycad.co.uk/

    "PolyCAD is a geometry tool designed for editing entities commonly found in Naval Architecture applications. It was designed to provide a range of extensive, simple and straight forward editing features across all entites and to allow level physical conversion between entities. These factors make this tool more useful than most Naval Architecture design packages and more flexible than most draughting packages such as AutoCAD."

    I haven't had the time yet to give it a try, but decided to add it to the list in any case.

    http://www.polycad.co.uk/polycad.htm
     
  9. Zaynab
    Joined: Apr 2003
    Posts: 19
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Netherlands

    Zaynab Junior Member

    I just found the following piece of software: http://ants.dif.um.es/~humberto/sdn/
    Yacht development software, with stability and VPP analysis built in; sounds almost too good to be true. Free download
     
  10. Jeff
    Joined: Jun 2001
    Posts: 1,368
    Likes: 71, Points: 58, Legacy Rep: 923
    Location: Great Lakes

    Jeff Moderator

    I haven't been able to give it a try because all I have are Windows 2000 and XP boxes. I don't have a 9x computer anymore nor a mac :(
     
  11. Tom_McGuinness
    Joined: Sep 2003
    Posts: 28
    Likes: 1, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 37
    Location: California

    Tom_McGuinness Junior Member

    SDN software

    I downloaded the demo but it would not launch. Am using a Mac running under OS X 10.2.5.

    Several days ago I emailed SDN requesting assitance, but so far no reply.

    Moving on to other solutions.
     
  12. TopSpin80
    Joined: Oct 2003
    Posts: 6
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Galveston

    TopSpin80 Junior Member

    There are many linux based CAD programs for free download. As soon as I get one that I really like, I'll give you guys the links.
     
  13. Tim B
    Joined: Jan 2003
    Posts: 1,438
    Likes: 59, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 841
    Location: Southern England

    Tim B Senior Member

    I've Used SDN very successfully with Win XP Pro. Set the executable to run with compatability for windows 95. It should then work...
    See http://forums.boatdesign.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1437&perpage=15&pagenumber=16 look at the penultimate post for the drawing details. There are some things
    that could be improved, but that's just drawing/plotting. I tend to believe the Hydrostats data, I don't think it's finished code though!!

    Cheers,

    Tim B.
     
  14. nevd
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 99
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Australia

    nevd Junior Member

    Hello,

    I would be very happy to hear from anybody who has experience with Linux based CAD software and particularly any progress reports on reviews by TopSpin80.

    I tried to contact Linuxcad in the past with no success - I would be very interested in linux based alternatives to AutoCAD.

    Thanks,

    Nevd
     

  15. 8knots
    Joined: Feb 2002
    Posts: 266
    Likes: 12, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 352
    Location: Wasilla Alaska

    8knots A little on the slow side

    HULL CAO

    I SPENT A GOOD PART OF THE DAY SIFTING THROUGH THE HULL CAO WEBSITE AND AM ALLMOST CONVINCED TO BUY. I HAVE AN E-MAIL INTO HIM TO SEE IF THE TOOLBARS AND DIALOG BOXES ARE TRANSLATED ALSO! tHE COMPLETE PACKAGE IS ABOUT $277 US BUT HE DOES NOT DO CC's FOR WHAT THE PROGRAM APPERS TO DO SEEMS WELL WORTH THE $
    KEEP YA'LL POSTED
    8KNOTS
     
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