ISO rules calculator and license

Does anybody know, if it's allowed to write an excel worksheet (or simple pc application) that calculates some stuff with ISO rules for small craft (TC 188), and share it ?

Thank you

 

Imho, I don't see why you shouldn't. You are surely not entitled to copy and re-distribute ISO papers, but you're free to use the formulae contained within them for your purposes (which includes boat design too ). The software you create is your own intelectual property, and ISO has nothing to do with it.

 

I agree with Daiquiri if you do it for your own use, but if you intend to distribute your spreadsheet to other people then I'm not so sure anymore.
An application (where the user doesn't see the formulas) should be fine instead. In fact there a few commercial programs available to set up the structural layout according to ISO 12215, like this:
http://www.wumtia.soton.ac.uk/brochures/HullScantBrochure.pdf
I tried it a bit years ago, but just for educational purposes, and it's quite nice. Though not doing the calculations by myself gives me a kind of uncertainty feeling

 

Don't get too carried away with working on a spreadsheet, even for your own use.

That is because the ISO stability and buoyancy standards have just been revised and there are a lot of changes to the existing standards. I am not sure quite when the new ones will be published but I assume it will be later this year or early next. (I sit on the working group that developed the standards)

Richard Woods of Woods Designs

www.sailingcatamarans.com