Looking for Dimensions for Modeling Purposes

[sailingnewbie]

Hi, I don't know if this is the right place to post this question but maybe you guys can help me out. I am attempting to model a J105 sailboat in Solidworks as a Christmas present for a friend. In order to do that I need some dimensions that I am not finding on the internet (cross sections of hull etc.). Does anyone have any relevant dimensions or know of a place I can find them? Also, or perhaps alternatively, does anyone know where I can purchase a small wooden or plastic model of a J105?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! If I am successful in my attempt to create this I would be happy to create 3D renderings from the model to share with this forum in appreciation of your help.

[Tim B]

Hull-shapes are a quite closely guarded secret, but it should be possibly to create something representative from photos available on the web. You'll have to do most of the work by eye, but you'll be able to get close enough for illustrative purposes. Also, get yourself to a marina and see if there are any J105s out of the water. If so, take all the photos you want, with some reference for scale.

[Paul B]

Originally Posted by sailingnewbie

Hi, I don't know if this is the right place to post this question but maybe you guys can help me out. I am attempting to model a J105 sailboat in Solidworks as a Christmas present for a friend. In order to do that I need some dimensions that I am not finding on the internet (cross sections of hull etc.). Does anyone have any relevant dimensions or know of a place I can find them? Also, or perhaps alternatively, does anyone know where I can purchase a small wooden or plastic model of a J105?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! If I am successful in my attempt to create this I would be happy to create 3D renderings from the model to share with this forum in appreciation of your help.

For the lines you can contact J Boats (google them) and ask. Designers sometimes provide lines to people for the purpose of making models.

For a wooden or plastic model you should google Half Model Sailboat, or Half Model J105. There are a lot of companies that make half models for trophies or for owners to display. Some are very high quality wood, some are FRP from a mold.

Have you modeled hulls in SW in the past? Can you tell us your method? I imagine you loft between hull sections, and maybe use waterlines as guidelines? How do you deal with the bow knuckle area?

[MalSmith]

I don't use Solidworks, but I use Inventor, which is similar. To get the general dimensions, I would drag some images off the net from PDF brochures or web pages, put them into a sketch in the modelling program and scale them to a known dimension. Then you can trace around the outline and get a reasonable approximation. Even with just the plan and profile you can get a reasonable hull if you play with the sections a bit.

[sailingnewbie]

Thanks for all the very helpful info! If I come up with any kick-ass renderings I will post some in here

I am actually re-immersing myself in learning Solidworks while taking on this project so I am not entirely sure how I will be going about doing it. The last time I was working with the program I was modeling parts of my car and I was working on doing that by importing 2D sketches and extruding the various parts per known dimensions from there. This was years ago at this point though and I wasn't all that proficient then and I am rusty on top of that now.

I've never done anything related to boats though and it looks like hulls might be a bit difficult to work with. BUT, I figure it will be a good learning experience if nothing else and hopefully the Christmas present will at least be "it's the thought that counts"