Suggestion on customer design tools

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Northwindii, Mar 6, 2016.

  1. Northwindii
    Joined: Dec 2015
    Posts: 11
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Norfolk

    Northwindii Junior Member

    I looking for a SIMPLE computer deign tool that will allow me to work with the layout of a boat of approximately 130 LWL. The goal is to articulate my goals and potentially get bids from NA and shipyards to complete the design.
     
  2. Rurudyne
    Joined: Mar 2014
    Posts: 1,170
    Likes: 40, Points: 48, Legacy Rep: 155
    Location: North Texas

    Rurudyne Senior Member

    Unless you're already accomplished with computer aided rendering....

    For the layout you might look for elements of layout you like from existing boats, owned by folks you know or examples from the numerable images on Yachtworld listings being one place to look, and use a sketchbook and a few nice French curves and some furniture or kitchen templates if there's going to be any of that, to try to hash out things first.

    They don't have to be artsy renderings, just sketches showing where roughly things are, or what they may look like (if you get artsy or staple in a picture of something) as a working references. Likewise you can print up those occasional interior layout pictures, if available and if applicable, and highlight the parts you like. Staple these into the sketchbook too.

    A sketchbook is something tangible to show the NA all your ideas, what you want or like. These things invite conversation over each page. Also, how he treats it may help you understand what to expect of him later...

    There are, of course, sketchbook apps for things like iPads. Yet sketchbooks of 11x14 (or larger if you want to lug around a 16x20) are relatively cheap and like a scrap book help automatically organize your ideas too, just keep sticky tabs on the pages with stuff you like best.
     
  3. philSweet
    Joined: May 2008
    Posts: 2,682
    Likes: 451, Points: 83, Legacy Rep: 1082
    Location: Beaufort, SC and H'ville, NC

    philSweet Senior Member

    I agree. Pencil and paper is a better option for communicating early on. Communicating via CAD is not simple. You need to both be rigorously adhering to the same conventions, otherwise it is a huge hassle.

    And you can tape pages all the way across the kitchen table (or a spare door), and work at a decent scale and still see the whole. You can spend years learning CAD conventions for a major company like Boeing.

    The one thing I do like to do is have a printable outline of the hull shell. I put this under the velum at what ever scale suits the moment. I use FreeShip for that.

    I think you will find it more useful to redraw the entire boat each day than to try to fiddle with shifting parts around in CAD. Repetition is important early on.

    Hopefully, some folks who are accustomed to being on the receiving end of these RFPs will chime in.
     
  4. JSL
    Joined: Nov 2012
    Posts: 811
    Likes: 64, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 41
    Location: Delta BC

    JSL Senior Member

    Yes, pencil & paper is the way to go in many instances. I have had people send me drawings while learning a new program and one of the most common oversights is the scale factor.... kind of difficult to sleep on a 5' long bed or fit in a 4' wide stairway (from a house design pgm). A real GiGo (Garbage in-Garbage out) situation.
    I suggest using grid paper (1/4") and a soft pencil (2B to 4B) to make alterations (erasing) easier. Also, use common sense and don't try to squeeze 4 staterooms and 3 'heads' into a 36' cruiser.
     
  5. rwatson
    Joined: Aug 2007
    Posts: 6,163
    Likes: 495, Points: 83, Legacy Rep: 1749
    Location: Tasmania,Australia

    rwatson Senior Member

    Yes, if you use Freeship, manually redrawing the hull every day IS the easiest solution.

    Now, if you can get hold of a decent Cad package, you will soon find out that manual drawing becomes far less important.
     
  6. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
    Posts: 3,899
    Likes: 200, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 971
    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    It would seem to me that if you have the bucks to build a '130 lwl' boat that you wouldn't be bothering with somehow cheaply articulating your wishes to the designer. Then again, that's how some people become wealthy enough to build a '130 lwl' boat, by being incredibly cheap as a lifestyle.
     
  7. messabout
    Joined: Jan 2006
    Posts: 3,367
    Likes: 510, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 1279
    Location: Lakeland Fl USA

    messabout Senior Member

    Sam; the OP is just asking questions. That does not actually suggest that he is a cheap skate. What the hell, the OP may be Stephen Hawking or someone with a disability that makes pencil and paper sketches most difficult. .....Oops.... sorry for that outburst Sam.
     
    1 person likes this.
  8. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
    Posts: 3,899
    Likes: 200, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 971
    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    Yes, you are right. I somehow equated SIMPLE with CHEAP and CHEAP with not having a clue about how much money it would take to have a 130 LWL boat built.

    Apologies to the OP.

    I find it handy when deciding a layout is to have the general outline on paper and have correctly scaled to size cutouts of the various items (such as beds, stairs, heads, tables, etc) so they can be moved around quickly to develop the idea, instead of redrawing for every change.

    If graph paper is used, the clearances between things for access, like between beds and walls or like hallway widths etc, can be easily seen by counting the squares.
     
  9. messabout
    Joined: Jan 2006
    Posts: 3,367
    Likes: 510, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 1279
    Location: Lakeland Fl USA

    messabout Senior Member

    Sam; I hasten to agree that the OP may not have any idea of how much a boat of that size would cost. Do you/we think it possible that some one is pulling our leg? :D
     
  10. gonzo
    Joined: Aug 2002
    Posts: 16,790
    Likes: 1,714, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 2031
    Location: Milwaukee, WI

    gonzo Senior Member

    I can get you a simple design tool. It will cost you a small fraction of the $30 million or so the boat will cost. Hire a drafstman and get your ideas on paper. Something like what an identikit does.
     
  11. JSL
    Joined: Nov 2012
    Posts: 811
    Likes: 64, Points: 28, Legacy Rep: 41
    Location: Delta BC

    JSL Senior Member

    Whoever you hire make sure they have some idea of what they are doing so your preliminary/concept sketches aren't 'architects dreams'.
     

  12. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,126
    Likes: 498, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Look folks, anyone truly serious about getting bids for a design and building a 130' whatever, will hire the appropriate firms, be this a simple rendering or an elemental GA. There are lots of outfits that do this and of course lots of NA's too. This is a two sentence fishing expedition from the OP, for something we (and like he as well) know isn't particularly easy for the uninitiated. Again, any serious effort in this regard, on a project this scale doesn't look for:
    Folks looking to cost up multi million dollar projects, typically hire a staff or service(s), so they don't have to miss their tee times trying to learn modeling software.
     
Loading...
Similar Threads
  1. Abu Huraira Javaid
    Replies:
    7
    Views:
    1,024
  2. starcmr
    Replies:
    3
    Views:
    978
  3. Wavewacker
    Replies:
    10
    Views:
    1,844
  4. illan_voyager
    Replies:
    4
    Views:
    877
  5. George T
    Replies:
    3
    Views:
    1,232
  6. somaero
    Replies:
    43
    Views:
    19,027
  7. Nauticals
    Replies:
    11
    Views:
    1,442
  8. Veloceruss
    Replies:
    20
    Views:
    3,615
  9. robmcg25
    Replies:
    41
    Views:
    7,140
  10. Sultan
    Replies:
    1
    Views:
    1,504
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.