Reproducing Boat Plans

I'm new to the forum. I've followed you for a while and have always been impressed with your ideas, experience and knowledge.

Having raced and crewed and skippered all my life on other peoples boats (OPB), I finally bought my own boat. And to tell the truth, there's nothing like it. I've raced on some of the "big boats", sleds, all kinds of one-designs and dinghy's from Sydney, AUS to Marina Del Rey, CA and although it was always a great ride, nothing replaces skippering my own '76 Cal 25. It's like finally getting your first car after having used public transportation your whole life. It may be like going from high speed rail to a VW bus (I mean reliable, durable and still around) but at least I'm off the tracks.

Although I am pretty comfortable on deck and behind the wheel, admittedly, I have almost no knowledge of structure and design or of what is happening below deck and below the waterline. I knew enough to know that I was buying a sound boat and getting a good deal. But now that I've begun to get into it, gutting the interior and removing deck hardware, I find I have a lot of questions. I'm hoping that you will be able to help.

My first question: is it difficult to reproduce boat plans? I've scoured the Internet only to come up with the attached picture from an old sales brochure. I'd like to have larger (8" X 10") versions of the cross-section, side and front view of the hull so that I can print and use them to sketch out different interior layouts, map out the electrical etc. Does some of the freeware do the job? What do you suggest?

I have many more questions. Would it be best to continue this as one long thread regarding "the project" or should I break up each question into a new thread? I will probably begin to post my pictures onto a site very soon.

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

Ah, now, this depends on what you have to hand. But one thing is critical. A vector-drawing package that will import pictures.

If I was doing this, I would use an ACORN RISC-PC and use the !Draw software supplied native to the system. These computers are pretty cheap on E-bay (I just got one for £29.99). Don't be shocked by the apparently low spec... this is not a Windows PC. !Draw (found in the "Apps" folder on the icon bar) handles sprites. Sprites are just another picture format. So here's how I'd do it:
1) Convert the image using !ChangeFSI
2) Open a !Draw window and drop the sprite in
3) Locate the sprite then choose a colour (usually red or bright green) from the style menu.
4) Start drawing splines over the picture.
5) Use the right button over the splines to fit the curves.
6) etc. etc. etc. Job's a good'un.

On the PC it needs some 3rd party software. Rhino v3 will let you do it in much the same way, and there is a free trial at www.rhino3d.com
There are various other packages available, but for illustration only, the RISC-PC and !Draw would be my first point of call.

Tim B.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=16165&item=8194052334&rd=1 is quite a good example of a RISC-PC. Note these machines were made by ACORN (and ARM ltd.) NOT HP.

 

I take it you wish for a set of Cal 25 plans to enlarge so you can make changes to the interior and other things.

The drawing you have may be all that's available on that design that's not overly coveted by the designer or the heirs or owners of the design.

I think the class is still actively raced so lines may be available, but construction drawings will likely be withheld by the designer or controlling interests.

You may have better luck finding an active fleet and or web site for the class. These would be the folks that will have put in the search effort you're beginning. Picking their brains, making friends and you may find someone who has a set or has drawn up a set of plans.

You can continue to post here or start new threads after a few questions, your call. Most of us can keep up.

What type of changes do you have in mind?

 

Thanks for your response. My initial idea was to import the spec sheet into Photoshop and use it as a tracing image to reproduce larger plans to lay out an interior. I don't think I want to invest in a new computer. Then I came across this site and thought I might be able to produce more accurate boat plans with some of the freeware. What do you think about Carlson Design Hull Designer? Would it do the job?

 

Probably, I just have a RISC-PC on my desk for finishing drawings and tracing jobs. It works out an awful lot cheaper than AutoCAD!!! and much easier to use. Try www.rhino3D.com and download the v3 demo. Then you can carry on working on the hull in 3D if you need to.

Tim B.

 

Worth locating the designers and seeing what they can do for you. Farr Associates let me have drawings for a very old design of theirs I own subject to a modest fee and an NDA.

 

Thanks. Sometimes the most obvious is the most elusive.