BoatCAD Documentation and How-To Guides



Which measurement system does BoatCAD use: metric or imperial?

BoatCAD works with generic units rather than a fixed measurement system. If you treat 1 unit as 1 mm, you are working in the metric system. If you treat 1 unit as one sixteenth of an inch, you are working in the imperial system.

How to create a blueprint for a plywood boat

This is very simple. Create the boat using parametric curves, then set the section tension close to 0. In most cases, that is all you need to get a shape suitable for a plywood boat.

Keel shapes with NURBS curves

The first two examples, "Keel with 5 control points" and "Keel with 6 control points", are suitable for a sailboat or a modern yacht. The second example is similar to the first one, but with one additional control point. Adding one more control point makes the keel line flatter. You can add even more control points if you need finer control over the shape.

The "Keel for a motorboat" example includes space for the propeller. The last example, "Classical keel for a traditional yacht", is intended for a more traditional hull form.

These keel shapes can be created with any of the four BoatCAD wizards for NURBS boats. Watch the videos for more details.


Keel shapes with parametric curves

You can create a small propeller arc sized only for the propeller, a larger arc, or use the arc itself to modify the shape of the keel.

In the generated Excel file, the arc is represented by 50 points. You can use these points to define or refine the keel geometry.


How to create a straight line ?

In practice, you usually need only part of the curve to become straight. Start with Step 1 and continue through the following steps. Click the "Add" button to insert additional control points. The more control points you place along the straight segment, the longer and straighter that part of the curve will become.