Best Marine Design Software for Hull Modeling? (2010)

You can import xyz files from Carene into freeship and work with them there...makes tweaking them much easier and it is more flexible with shaping than Carene is.

 

thanks for that but the 15-18 ft ply stitch and glue I am into I find carene fine ..just the printing is disapointing as you cannot vary the size of the printout and its too small....

 

Get a PDF program that creates a virtual printer. Print to that printer all the data. This will give you a pdf file with the pictures and offsets for the whole boat. Then you can pick and choose what you want to use for stations etc. I used to go through that routine...I spent hours with a calculator converting stuff and reams of paper until I figured out how to print to a PDF printer. Life got a lot easier...then I discovered Freeship and I haven't printed anything from Carene since.

 

I use Rhino to make 3d model, then convert model to Hull.gf, and use Model marker make compart and calc in autohydro (with small boat, chine blige), i seen very fast.

 

best is to create surface in maxsurf, render it in rhino ,, use for calculation autohydro or hydromax, and for detail construction design sc or napa may be the choice but depends on the budget too ..

 

i accept with your idea, but another way is export 3d Hull mode to IGS and import it to Maxsurf for Hydrostatics, hydrodynamics,... It's more easier for you !

 

Napa for contruction design ? haha. Silly man !

 

I'm suprised Paramarine, Shipshape, Foran and Orca3d aren't on the list? They are all good for creating hull geometry, and Foran and Paramarine do a whole lot more too.

 

this is not a detrmination of the best software it is a poll on the most popular. Popular is usually based on price hence freeship leads .....there are far more cheap fords on the road then Rolls Royces so the ford wins in the poll.

 

I take your point, but there is another thread for best cheap software. Freeship is great for free (amazing in fact) and about as good as anything for creating hull geometry (although I prefer control points that lie on the hull surface). But for the total design, it's not a patch on some others.

 

Add PolyCAD to the list ... It's the best

 

drawing programs

This is my simple method for boat drawings. (not professional). :idea:
.
I have not used any boat design software, but I find drawing stuff in "MS PAINT" works very well for me, for the present time, until I need the better stuff.
Some friends of mine have done some very good looking, boat drawings, using it.

I find that it is good for quick illustrations and you usually can save in BMP , JPG, or GIF.

Here is one example I put in the gallery several days ago.
http://www.boatdesign.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/17164/ppuser/36353

 

Ok, Im not sure if this is the best thread to ask this question, but here it is.I have been studying and working in the field of Aviation for the past 10 years, and now I am interested in building a small 18' power boat. I have no education or licenses in the Marine field. My question is, am I legally permitted to design my own boat, or do I need to hire a Naval Architect to do the drawing and design for me?
For example, could I have a rough idea on paper and have it inspected throughout the construction process?
Or even use the software that you guys are talking about?

Or do I actually have to get a degree in boat/yacht design before I consider designing and building my own boat from scratch?

Thank you

Damian Krzyminski

 

not if you are in the uk but you may need it inspected ...wiring /gas /fuel dependent where you want to use it . Uk is worst place to own a boat in the world as the speed limit is usually 4 mph unless your are at sea...
Your simplest design software would be Carene at http://pagesperso-orange.fr/robert.laine its at the bottom of the page then import to Freeship if you get into it big.

Google glen-l and Hannu's boatyard for plans and ideas

 

I live in Canada, just reviewing my options, thanks for the info. 4mph??? wow