CAD or any other aid but my current project is bending my brain.
I've found some shareware through Google, but have no idea which of the
offerings is suitable.
I 'll need some start-up education, too, so a book suggestion or two would
also be appreciated.

I feel confortable with hullform, the shareware version.
I must inform that exist also freeship (www.freeship.org) a free software
under development, under gnu license.
It si free, you can try it...

Paolo

chipster,

I will be visiting my piece of FL, I bought 2.27 acres in Lake Tiger,
sometime before the year is over. I've been out of AUTOCAD for a while
now. I have AutoCad LT that you can have on cd and Autocad2000 on cd.
I don't use them anymore. I'll trade that for a day of sun & fun on a
boat when I get down there. I'll add in one evening of tutoring as
well, more if time permits.

Bryan

Hey Bryan -
I wrote back to you via email but got no response; assume you spam-out email
from unknowns ...
Anyway - I'm wondering if you mean the Lake Tiger east of Lake Wales (the
town) as I live near Lake Walk-in-Water, just south of that Lake Tiger and
have passed through Tiger many times while canoeing from here to the
Kissimmee River.
Lemme know ...
And Yes -I'd be happy to take you fishing or just boatriding, if you wish.
Where will you stay when you come down and how will you get here?

chip

"Flyingmonk" wrote in message
ups.com...
chipster,

I will be visiting my piece of FL, I bought 2.27 acres in Lake Tiger,
sometime before the year is over. I've been out of AUTOCAD for a while
now. I have AutoCad LT that you can have on cd and Autocad2000 on cd.
I don't use them anymore. I'll trade that for a day of sun & fun on a
boat when I get down there. I'll add in one evening of tutoring as
well, more if time permits.

Bryan

Sorry Chip, I haven't been checking that email account. I'll bring
them down with me when I come down. We stayed in the local hotels when
we come down usually in Bartow, Sandford, Orlando, Kissimme or Apopka.
My land is very very close to you. It is of of Tiger Lake Road little
ways up from rt 60. Yeah, take me fighing or gaitor hunting when we
come down. We are up here in Northern Virginia near DC.

I'll give you a shout before we come down. Don't know when yet, but it
will be before the years over.

Bryan "The Monk" Chaisone

I've used both G Carlson's program and the program from Blue Peter
Designs, both free.

Carlson's program is for plywood boats or boats made of other "sheet goods"
I suppose, eg steel or aluminum. These boats are made by cutting out flat
panels and attaching them along the edges. The program even produces
coordiantes for cutting out the panels, and a computer file for automatic
cutting of the panels (Carlson sells automatic panel cutting equipment).
Carlson's file includes hulls contributed by other users, and there are
some add-ons and instructions written by users on various websites on the
Internet. The program also creates files that let you transfer the hull to
other CAD programs. You can get help with his program by asking here as I
have done. About the only thing I don't like about this program is it
won't let you have straight lines anywhere. It uses the usual curve
fitting algorithms between points and will not just draw a staight line.

The Blue Peter program I used was for DOS but I've heard they now have a
free Windows version. It can be used for smooth hulls, not just flat panel
hulls like Carlson's program. It also calculates more design metrics than
Carlson's program. You can get it to change the curvature in the curve
fitting algorithm, or draw straight lines, but it's, um, technical and I
was not able to use it.

I used both programs on a study for a plywood micro-cruiser and documented
the process on my website (see below) for other amateurs who might want to try
their hand at designing a boat. Look under "Boats" then "Designs".

--
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William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-FreeNet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned

You might also consider trying BearboatPro. It is a freeware program
for designing canoes or kayaks and will show front, side, and top views
of the hull you create. After finishing your design, you can print off
the forms to a standard printer to tape together to help you create
stations to build from.

Hope this helps,
Paul

Hi nautiphiles,
just wondering:
Are ther any CAD downloads for sails, rigging and of course masts?
Any leads much appreciated
mikl
"chipster" wrote in message
nk.net...
I could use some advice from those of you with experience using free or
low-cost "beginner" CAD software suitable for designing & drawing small
boats.
I've hand-drawn plans in the past and have absolutely no experience using
CAD or any other aid but my current project is bending my brain.
I've found some shareware through Google, but have no idea which of the
offerings is suitable.
I 'll need some start-up education, too, so a book suggestion or two would
also be appreciated.

Thanx in advance for any help

chip in central florida

Greg Carlson again. http://www.carlsondesign.com/#Fun_Shareware for masts
and a link to download Sailcut by Robert Laine.

Roger (I haven't used either of these)

http://home.earthlink.net/~derbyrm

"noexpert" wrote in message
...
Hi nautiphiles,
just wondering:
Are ther any CAD downloads for sails, rigging and of course masts?
Any leads much appreciated
mikl
"chipster" wrote in message
nk.net...
I could use some advice from those of you with experience using free or
low-cost "beginner" CAD software suitable for designing & drawing small
boats.
I've hand-drawn plans in the past and have absolutely no experience using
CAD or any other aid but my current project is bending my brain.
I've found some shareware through Google, but have no idea which of the
offerings is suitable.
I 'll need some start-up education, too, so a book suggestion or two
would
also be appreciated.

Thanx in advance for any help

chip in central florida