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Lofting Requirement and Technique For A Ferrocement Hull
Lofting Requirement and Technique For A Ferrocement Hull
Lofting Requirement and Technique For A Ferrocement Hull
FERROCEMENT HULL
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Boat plans
2.3 Mould loft floor
2.4 The grid
2.5 Laying off profile and plan view
2.6 Battens, splines and straight edges
2.7 Body plan
2.8 Additional information gathered
2.9 Transom projection
2.10 Patterns - general
2.11 Camber pattern
2.1 Introduction
The lofting requirements and techniques for a ferrocement hull do not differ in any great
way from those needed for other materials. Because it is easier to alter a pencil line than
a section of steel once frames have been made, great attention should be paid to
accuracy of measurements and fairness of line to reduce any errors to a minimum
which, in turn, reduces rectification cost and provides a fair shape to the frames onto
which the hull reinforcement is applied.
There are many publications available written on the art of lofting to which the reader
may refer. This chapter will provide a reminder to those already familiar with lofting but
not familiar with ferrocement construction.
Hardboard sheets should first be soaked on the underside with water and allowed to dry
before painting and fixing into position. This will help prevent the sheets from distorting
once laid.
The sheets are pinned at their joints allowing for easy removal and subsequent re-use if
required.
At the same time sufficient boards should be prepared for the subsequent laying off of
the body plan, which will ultimately be the final frame making shapes of the hull at the
location dictated by the design. The number of boards required will depend on whether a
full frame or half frame drawing is required for frame fabrication, or indeed whether the
production schedule calls for two frames to be made at the same time.
The offset table measurements will usually be given in millims to the outside of the hull,
and either measured +/- from the DWL or LWL (datum water line or load water line) or a
vertical measurement from the baseline (ref. Fig. No. 2). Additional fore and aft
measurements for the landing points of the lines should also be indicated on the lines
plan by the designer, but invariably these points need to be picked up during lofting.
All the lines as they are laid are checked for fairness, and half the skill in lofting is in the
choice of either easing an irregular measurement, in or out, up or down, whilst keeping
the changes moving in a particular manner, at the same time remembering what has
been done on previous lines checked, without drastically altering the designer's
intentions as regards shape. The fairness of each line is 'in the eye of the beholder' and
ultimately is in direct proportion to the skill of the loftsman and designer.
Straight edges are initially required for laying the grid lines but as they are invariably
used later in setting up the frames and helping to check level lines generally throughout
construction, a mixture of sizes are required. Two straight edges the length of which
exceeds the maximum breadth of the hull by 150 mm are needed, 150 mm wide and 18-
25 mm thick. Other smaller general purpose straight edges will also be used.
Initially, fixed points of both half breadth and height (+/- DWL or from baseline), for the
sheer, deck line, knuckle line, underside of keel and intersection of frames on centre line
or rabbet line are marked in. Using the revised offset table No. 2 each frame can be
plotted by marking the half breadths along the water lines, the heights +/- DWL on the
buttock locations and distance from the centre line down each diagonal.
Using suitably sized battens/splines, the frame lines are drawn. Visually one can check
to see if the curves have met all the measurement locations, as well as whether the
frame lines are in 'sympathy' with each other. By easing the frame lines and retaking the
measurements one can fill in a further revised offset table No. 3 and recheck that the
changes on the plan and profile views fair in.
By now the errors should be minimal and the number of measurements requiring minor
modification are nominal. The body plan frame lines are rechecked and if the body plan,
profile and plan views coincide on all the measurements taken, one can now say that the
measurements are faired and a final offset table may be filled in and kept as a record for
future use, especially if the frame making boards are damaged or not stored properly.
At this stage, the designer should be advised of the changes to the original offset table
measurements.
Additional information has been picked up, the AP (aft point) being an example. This can
help by providing fairing points for the splines aft of where a line may actually finish, as
well as providing a pattern to check out the transom shape and fairing in of the frames at
the setting up stage. Additional information has been included for the deck at side
measurement also the crown of the deck, which are useful check measurements when
proceeding with the construction, particularly if a ferrocement beamshelf is to be
included in the construction.
The half breadth measurements for each water line are picked up by squaring the water
line intersection to the rake of the transom on the profile view down to where the
intersection is made with the water lines in the plan view. The resultant measurement
between the transom centre line and water line intersection for each water line will give
the half breadth measurement required for transfer to the expanded view.
Once all the points have been marked onto the expanded view a batten can be used to
fair in the marks and the resultant shape is a view of half the expanded transom. The full
transom shape can then be drawn out on a patterning material and can be used for
making any number of transoms for that design. It should be remembered that the shape
drawn will be the aft side of the transom.
Because it is normal to paint over the lofting area for future use, a pattern of the stem,
with water lines, stations and location of main reinforcing bars will be useful. As for all
patterns, they should be clearly identified and kept with the frame making boards in a
suitable place for any subsequent construction of the same design.
The camber pattern will need to be made from material 18-25 mm thick, a few cm longer
than the full breadth of the boat and a little deeper than the maximum crown of the deck.