: In the old day's how did drafters (or lofters's I think they call them) draw
: the bow and stern on the kayaks?
: My question, I think is, the up swept portions and keel lines must have some
: sort of curve when laid flat but Are not shown when drawn 2d front /side/
: top. This is for S&G construction. I know theirs software out there that
: does this automatically but I'd like to try and draw one from paper. Did
: they cut and make a pattern first then draw it on blue print or the other
: way around?
: Thanks for any help

guess only:
for complex projections, multiple parallel ref lines were probably drawn. projections would be taken to get true length of ea. and the points connected by a curve(french or spline etc)

i am not sure how expanded plates would have been drawn. but maybe same way.

so in a simple case of a non twisting panel, with str sideview bow and closely related station, in essence you would see a triangle. the stem is true length (and straight if panel does not curve), the section(form) gives true hts and relative true hts, the plan give true length of any of the parallel waterlines. connect the dots knowing that the sheer will end up a curve base on the other form relative locations.

if curve in one direction, parallels would be a 90deg and true lengths taken from that.

as a guess, twist would involve projecting front sections view to common focal pts and taking relative hts from there. i think some(most?) software uses cone concepts, but since twists at the bow most often(!) be tending to more perpendicular, you can go more wild and make almost any wierd shape stem you wish and have some level of confidence that you can make it work. obviously way harder if more horizontal.

a laborious process that is still straight line approximations of curved reality.

a simple boat, could probably make work, complex curves would be more out of the question as they require way more relative panel positioning.
- mick