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Drafting Wooden Boat Plans

Boat Plan Drafting

Boat Plan Drafting

Did you know that if you have a little perseverance and the willingness to learn, you would be able to create a boat plan and probably even build your own small boat?

There are a few simple tools things that you would require to get started:

  • a couple of good mechanical pencils and an eraser,
  • some heavy-duty cartridge paper.

You’ll also want a few tools to help draw lines and the variuos shapes:

  • a long straight edge, a ruler,
  • T-square, no more than 10 inches on a side.

You may think that you needed more tools, however this is all you really need to get started.

Looking at the above, many beginners actually come up with the question

“How do I draw a curve when I don’t have a propper tool?”

Of course you could easily add one to the sma list above, or if you have some perseverance it really is very easy to draw proper curves. As long as you have a rubber and you are happy to erase and redraw frequently you will be able to get them just right.

Just in case you are unsure, the ability to be able to erase, changeor delete the lines drawn is the main reason a pencil is prefered by most designers to a more permanent marker.

Now you should start thinking and drawing a simple profile of the boat, and decide upon the length you want the craft to be.

There is really an easier option to hand drawing. Boat design software has become an essential tool to any serious boat designer. This allows multiple changes, undos, lines curves shapes and sizes to be created, changed or delted quickly. From all the boat design software that we have reviewed, we have found that 3D Boat Design Software to be one of the easiest to use and fastest to learn. It really is easy to start designing the boat of your dreams.

Once you have completed the boat’s profile the next step is to draw up the overhead view of the boat. This is where a wooden boat plan can get a bit more complex. You’ll need to understand a few basic terms and apply them to your design.

“length overall” or ‘Loa
This identifies how long the boat is, stem to stern.

“length on the waterline” or “LwL”
This is another length, however shorter than Loa. It reflects the actual length of the boat that sits in water.

“Depth” or “D”
This is the shorthand for the depth of the boat at its deepest point, right near the center.

You should use these terms to sketch out the basic measurements of your boat before moving on.

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Do You Want to Start Building A Boat?

If your answer to the above question is yes, then I strongly recommend that you check out 3D Boat Design Software.

This site will make your boat design a pleasure and ensure you start off correctly. The software is also regularly updated, and new designs constantly added Click here to go check it out now!

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Boat Design 6 Part Mini Course

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