If you ever attempted to design anything, and I mean anything, not an object as complex as a yacht, then you will know just how hard it can be. Perhaps that’s the reason some mariners, or yachtsmen, are deterred by the idea of designing their own craft. But they shouldn’t be. Today’s 3-D CAD design software is so simple and straightforward to learn that what may well have been impossible years ago is now really quite straightforward.
But just because it’s easy it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t require any input on your part. You need to learn how to use the program before you attempt to design your first boat hull. That’s why some boat hull design programs come complete with a set of trial files that you can play around with and discover how to manipulate and experiment with.
When CAD software was first introduced they had a huge learning curve associated with them. They sometimes came with a set of handbooks six inches thick and you might well have been required to go on a training course. Things are somewhat different now, of course. All computer software, not just CAD software, is significantly more intuitive and help is often accessible directly from the website. To maximise your productivity of your software you need to work with it and comprehend what the software is doing when you give it certain commands. For instance some programs now incorporate tools to calculate the effects of what you’re doing upon draft, speed and displacement on-the-fly. Meaning that as you alter the lines of your hull, the software will continually constantly recalculate these parameters so you can keep an eye on what effect your changes are having. This instant feedback approach makes it possible for you to develop an eye for what works and what doesn’t. Instant feedback has much to recommend it. Have you noticed, for example that your photographs are so much higher quality now than they used to be in the days of 35mm film? It’s for the reason that, with today’s digital cameras, if you take a bad shot, you can immediately see the end result and take steps to correct what went wrong. In the old days, by the time the photos had come back from the printers, you’d forgotten what settings you used and went and made the same mistakes all over again.
The key to getting the most from your boat design software is to become fully familiar with it. The temptation with any new software is to jump in and get started right away. It’s really important though to take the time to familiarize yourself with program prior to commencing a serious project. Don’t rush. Play around with the different features and you’ll discover a whole lot that is possible than seems apparent at first.
3-D design can become somewhat confusing and so it’s extremely useful that these software packages have the ability to rotate your boat hull in all three planes as you design it. That way you are able to see the effects your changes are having from an aesthetic standpoint rather than a technical one. Just playing around with the design for an hour or so can help you extend the skills you need and get the most from your 3-D design program.
You might expect that all these specialised facilities would raise the cost of the program but nowadays modular programs can be produced in all sorts of ways that reduce costs to the end user. So this type of software is nowhere near as expensive as you might expect. To get the most from it not only do you want to practice and learn as indicated above but you can even put the program to work and produce designs which you can easily sell to other people. Now that’s what I really call getting the most from your software.
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