CAD program for all but the hull

Hello!
i have started to learn Freeship, and i can see it's mainly a hull modeling program. Now i would like some tips what to use for the rest. Framework, deck etc.
My previous experience with CAD is mostly Solid Edge 2D Drafting and some Auto Cad LT.
Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

That depends, as always, on what you want to do.
If you want to make just a very nice drawing : colored pencils and paper.
If you do the piping layout, isometric, piping prefabrication, cables gutters, etc ... things get complicated, but there are several options.

 

My goal is to be able to make production drawings (cut files) for developable hulls. Intended to be made in aluminum. No more than 7 meters long, so the "inner workings" will not be extensive.

 

To that end I perfectly manage AutoCAD and a program developed by myself. This program, based on AutoCAD (not LT), allows me to generate all construction drawings and cnc files to cut parts.
There are several programs on the market, FORAN, MaxSurf (Workshop), and so on, but they are expensive.
For more information, if you want, visit my website or send me an e.mail

 

Rhino3D is very widely used for boat design. It works with 3D curves and surfaces, and represents solids by closed surfaces. It has tools for designing developable surfaces and for unrolling the surfaces. Rhino3D also has 2D drafting tools but not nearly as extensive as AutoCAD. You can download a trial version of Rhino3D and the only limitation it has is 25 saves. http://www.rhino3d.com/download

DraftSight is 2D drafting software by Dassault which has been described as almost a clone of AutoCAD's 2D functions. It is free and available at http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight/download-draftsight/

 

Are you looking for professional tool, or more for an amateur/hobbyist?

Rhino is cheap with an educational license if you can get one. TouchCAD would also work, normal price for Rhino3D and TouchCAD is about the same. I use ViaCAD Pro as a hobbyist, and I was able to buy it from Black Friday Sales for 99 USD - Regular price is 250 USD. I don't think it does plate developments but FreeShip does them, and importing into ViaCAD works without problems.

 

Thank you all for your suggestions. Someone with experience of Creo Elements/Direct Modeling Express 4.0 ? It seems to be the only free CAD.

 

Sorry. That should be "the only free 3D CAD"

 

I note it (Creo Elements/Direct Modeling Express 4.0) does NOT produce production drawings to export. Doubtless the Professional version does. Personally I use a combination of Rhino and FastCAD but each to their own. Rhino is very good at developable surfaces and even allows for a little distortion, it tells you how much!. It has unfolded aircraft aluminium wings for me in the past better than SolidWorks. I have used ProE with full surfacing and other high end products. For your more modest needs Rhino is still the best real 3D program on the market by far, even PTC eventually put a Rhino native file import into Pro-E in the end.

Rhino will export fine to AutoCad LT (ugh!) so you could use that or Intellicad or maybe TurboCad (yuk!), but there's not much out there to touch it for the price. Free 2D you can find, useable 3D I think you will have to bite the bullet and pay for it especially if you want profesional output.