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By Morten Olesen Part of the anticipation (and anxiety) of boatbuilding is not being able to see the finished product. Sure, design plans give you the dimensions and other specifications of the craft you're constructing, but they don't offer that all-important 3-dimensional view. Given a choice, what most boat builders (especially novices) prefer is the chance to actually see the finished boat before they begin the construction process. But how often does that happen? More often than you think! When you work with 3D boat plans, you have several advantages that help you speed up the building process and more. That's because you get something extra in addition to traditional, paper boat plans. See the Fully Completed Boat - Inside and Out Three-dimensional boat plans come with paper plans or digital plans you can print yourself, plus a 3D computer model. This allows you to quickly glance over your entire virtual vessel, inside and out, before you ever make the first cut. This gives you an exact replica to follow, which can help walk you step-by-step through the entire process. Every detail is viewable including seams, fillets, joints and more. Decks, superstructures, masts, keels and rudders are available, too. It's the next best thing to inspecting a physical boat. Fully Functional 3D Plans Give More Options But looking isn't all you can do. With 3D boat plans, you can also zoom in for closer inspection, pan cross sections to gain a clearer understanding and measure any part of the boat in both U.S. and metric units. Want to crawl underneath? You can, because 3D boat plans let you rotate your vessel in every direction, so nothing is out of your reach. Complete Your Project Faster and with Greater Confidence Once you've gained access to your virtual finished boat, you'll find the building process is greatly sped up. The visual aids you get from the 3D boat plans act as a roadmap that allows you greater freedom than when building from paper boat plans alone. And, because you can actually see the boat as you build, you'll have greater confidence that you're on the right track. TIP: Be sure to buy 3D boat plans that are compatible with both PC and Mac operating systems. Many will not function in a Mac environment. Do Over! Boat plans that come with 3D capabilities also give you a chance to see your possible mistakes before you make them. It's like getting a second chance or a "do over" without having the delays, frustration or added cost associated with trial-by-fire boatbuilding. If you'd rather have a step up from ordinary boat plans, look for 3D boat plans for your next project. The added flexibility and assurance they offer will speed up your completion time, reduce expenses and help you build a better-quality boat. Morten Olesen is a master boat builder and Naval Architect. Visit http://www.boatplans.dk to get his exclusive line of boat plans that includes 3D computer models plus his free Boat Builder Master Course with your order. © 2012, All Rights Reserved
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