Continued Education on Boat Lofting

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=John_Denton]John Denton
When you purchase a set of boat plans, chances are good that it will include reduced-scale drawings of different views of the boat. Converting these reduced-scaled drawings, often referred to as lines plans, to full-size drawings is known as lofting a boat. The goal of lofting is to produce full-size templates for cutting the boat's lumber. Lofting a boat needs to be done with care since the full-scale plans must accurately portray the hull's curve and the overall shape of the boat.
Lofting a Boat is a Traditional Manual Process
Boat builders traditionally use a large and open space for lofting a boat. This allows the full-scale plans to be laid down free of obstruction. The term "mold loft" is used to describe this space. Professional shipbuilders often use a dedicated building with a wooden floor as a mold loft. The full-sized views of the boat are drawn on rosin paper that is attached to the floor. For small boats, large pieces of paper or plywood can serve as the mold loft.
Author Howard Chapelle, whose Boatbuilding has been a valuable boatbuilding resource for many years, defines the process of lofting a boat as the core of fine craftsmanship. Chapelle has found that time and labor can be saved by carefully lofting a boat. It's easier and faster to correct errors found in lines plans while lofting a boat instead of later during the construction phase of the project.
Lofting a Boat Hull
Boat plans that have scaled-down renderings include a table listing offset measurements that describe the full-size shape of the hull. The offsets are used to plot points on a grid. This plotting begins by establishing an accurate set of gridlines. The initial line of the grid, known as the baseline, is often created with a string as a guide to ensure straightness. Additional lines of the grid are then added and offset points from the table are plotted. The shape of the hull is created by connecting the points on the grid.
The lines of the hull and on many other parts of the point are curved. These lines are known as fair curves because they must have a smooth and continuous flow. Battens are used to create fair curves. A batten is a long strip of pliable wood that is gently bent around nails that have been inserted at offset points that have been plotted on the grid.
Lofting a boat usually involved three views of the boat: half-breadth, body and profile sheer. These views are interconnected. Using battens to draw fair curves through offset points if repeated in each of the three views. If a problem is found with a line in one view, it must be corrected if it appears in any of the other views.
Alternatives to Lofting a Boat
Some boat builders have abandoned the manual involved in lofting a boat in favor of using CAD (computer-aided design) to obtain accurate full-size boat plans. Another alternative to lofting is buying boat plans with full-size drawings. An increasing number of designs for smaller boats are available with full-size plans, but there are still far more reduced-scale designs on the market. Builders who decide they will only buy boat plans with full-size drawings may find their design options limited.
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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Continued-Education-on-Boat-Lofting&id=6638051] Continued Education on Boat Lofting