> Todd, I am probably in the same boat as you as far as experience with the
> program, so hopefully we have similar perspectives on the problem.

> Bottom Line: If you want to use Autocad for just this one project, you
> will probably save time by doing the whole plotting and layout by hand,
> and with similar or better results.

As an experience Autocad user (Version 2.17 thru Rel 14 over 12 years) I would tend to agree.

>However, if you wish to spend lots of hours becoming proficient at using >Autocad for boat design projects, then by all means go for it.

When I began I was told it would take 500 hours to become proficient and I haven't found anything to change that view, although what you need to do is a very limited part of the program and wouldn't take so long to learn.

>I found that curve/point fitting with CAD programs
> is difficult, since what you want to accomplish in boatbuilding is not
> always consistent with a graphic program's goals. The procedure of fitting
> a curve to points isn't the difficult part, it's getting the program to
> produce the curve you want that seemed more difficult to me.

The curve fitting part isn't difficult and there are many ways of doing it but as you say, getting the curve you want is laborious and even then you are limited by what you see on the screen and can't tell if its fair anyway. Plotting to a printer or a plotter is another problem.

> You might get
> all kinds of responses from experienced Autocad users telling you
> otherwise, but the key word here is "experienced". Do you want
> to spend more time getting the experience than what it would have taken
> you to do it manually? If that's worth it to you, then do it, but be
> prepared to spend a few more hours than you suspected.

Amen!

> Good Luck, Paul A. (not G.) Jacobson

Good luck also, Bram