surface works user groups

[waterman]

I've recently downloaded a evaluation version of surface works. After creating the simple boat tutorial, The rest of the tutorials involve opening a pre-existing boat file and modifying it. While this is good for learning different features of the program, it is not good at teaching you how to create a boat more complicated than a simple rowboat (flatsides,bottom, transom). Therefore, I'm curious if any one knows of any surface works user groups where people share knowledge and or have created thier own tutorials. (like the rhino user groups).

[spank]

Well,
Although surfaceworks looks a little bit different than its predecessor, Multisurf, it is functionally quite similar. In other words, if you wanted to create a curved, raked transom in Surfaceworks, the process would be identical to the process in Multisurf. That said, you might want to try finding some Multisurf users out there. I know of plenty in the marine field, not just designers, who rely on Multisurf. I am a Multisurf user and I would be happy to answer any questions you have.
-Eli

Originally Posted by waterman

I've recently downloaded a evaluation version of surface works. After creating the simple boat tutorial, The rest of the tutorials involve opening a pre-existing boat file and modifying it. While this is good for learning different features of the program, it is not good at teaching you how to create a boat more complicated than a simple rowboat (flatsides,bottom, transom). Therefore, I'm curious if any one knows of any surface works user groups where people share knowledge and or have created thier own tutorials. (like the rhino user groups).

[waterman]

Well,
Although surfaceworks looks a little bit different than its predecessor, Multisurf, it is functionally quite similar. In other words, if you wanted to create a curved, raked transom in Surfaceworks, the process would be identical to the process in Multisurf. That said, you might want to try finding some Multisurf users out there. I know of plenty in the marine field, not just designers, who rely on Multisurf. I am a Multisurf user and I would be happy to answer any questions you have.
-Eli



Eli, thanks for the response. I don't know if you 've ever checked out Rhino user groups, but there is quite a few, many have created thier own tutorials about how to create a boat from scratch, ect. I've spent alot of time over the last two weeks creating a hull and figuring things out, but I'm getting tired of the process. Its awfully slow sometimes. Some of the things that other packages make so easy (such as Stationlines, Waterlines, Buttocks) are so obtuse to figure out. I don't have time to work every tutorial, in the book, so I surf around the tutorial picking up things that I can utilize. However, they rarely tell you how to do something from the very begining. Do the multisurf manuals/tutorials tell you how to install contours? Thier support staff has been very helpful, however, I can't be bugging them all of the time. I was hoping that there were some online tutorials or chat rooms. Feel free to get my email from my profile, I check it quite often. Thanks