Solidworks and yacht design

[J_Giese]

Hello everybody!

I like to get some Information about yacht design an Solidworks.

Is there anybody, who make marine design with this CAD-System?
Positive or negative experience?
Is it easy to use?
Do need some additional Software like SurfaceWorks ?

Maybe anyone could send an eDrawing.

Thanks for Information!

[duluthboats]

Welcome to the forum, J_Giese

The only experience I have with SolidWorks is demos. I think SurfaceWorks would be a big help if not a must for drawing boats. I think, if I already had it, I would stay with it. Otherwise it is a very expensive program for drawing boats.

Gary

[Stephen Ditmore]

See http://boatdesign.net/forums/showthr...?threadid=1318

[EmilSB]

Hi,
I just install this software and I made some test. I think it is a very fast in use, but if you want something complex you have to work hard, and if you want round hull form it is more difficult. Also is a very nice software.
Emil

yes you need surfaceworks to run with solidworks for hull lofting and fairing, i like solidworks and i think it can do a lot of great production drawings, not so easy at the beginning but its just a matter to expend some time its fast and reliable.

good luck

[Olav]

We use SolidWorks at the FH Kiel (University of Applied Sciences Kiel). IMHO it's a great and very powerful software package (although I think I'm able to use probably 20% if its features only).

I don't design hulls in SW but I use Hullform for this, and export the Hullform file (*.HUD) as a VRML (*.WRL) which can be imported to SW afterwards.

[ClarkT]

I use SolidWorks and SurfaceWorks and Rhino. If your hull is already designed, and you have a fair set of stations, then you don't need SurfaceWorks at all. I've tried importing my Rhino hull files into Solid Works, but I've found it very hard to re-import the Rhino files if I go back and do some tweaking of the hull. This is not a problem with Surface Works, but the SurfaceWorks 'workflow' is different from any other software I've ever used. Once you've got it down it's very nice and quite powerful, but I miss the slick interface of Rhino.

So...do you need Surface Works... Probably not...delay that decision.

Do you need SolidWorks? Yes! It's fantastic. Not necessary for hulls and decks, but when you get to details of rudder bearings, or hatch gutters, or perhaps deck gear, it can't be beat.

Do you need a separate surfacing program? Yes. I would never go anywhere without my Rhino

Hope all this ranting makes some sense. Good luck.