"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.


Worth being a bit clearer about exactly what you want to acheive with the
CAD program.

If you want to produce plans on paper in 2D that is fairly straightforward.
If you want to model 3d visualisations from pencil or 2d drawings that is
not too hard when you get the hang of it but quite time consuming.
If you want to do your primary design work in 3d and then use that data to
make templates, drawings, etc that is pretty hard.
If you want the CAD software to do calculations for you that can be highly
technical and require a lot of learning.

Actually if you are talking low-cost/free software you can't do the more
advanced stuff anyway, so here are my recommendations:
TurboCAD for 2d draughting - any version from V4 onwards will do a good job.
Not too hard to learn. There may be a free version. I find it very clumsy
for 3d work. Autocad compatible.
Sketchup for 3d visualisations. Delightfully easy to use, but as the name
implies it is for representational drawing, an architects 3d sketching tool,
not an engineerig aid.

HTH

Tim W