Links:
What is the difference between the free plans and stock plans for amateurs?
Design and plans quality:
Today, most boats are designed on the computer. This is much more accurate
than old plans drafted on paper.
The best new designs are all modeled in 3D with extreme precision. Modern
plans do not require lofting or scaling since they are designed at full
scale on the computer.
Another advantage of computer designed boat plans is that the software will
calculate the exact shape of every part including the plywood panels that
form the hull. Those dimensions are never available in older plans and the
boat builder must use patterns to take hull panel dimensions from an assembled
jig.
See our web site bateau2.com to understand the techniques used to build a modern plywood boat. Some of that information is applicable to the free plans listed here.
Building on a jig etc.Download a free plan from bateau.com like the NC14 canoe plan to see the difference.
There also technical differences between the older plans and today's plans.
At bateau.com, you will find some stock
plans based on or very similar to some of the free plans. For example, the
home page of this web site shows 3 pictures of such boats.
The one at the top is a free plan named Victory: a small runabout in 12,
14 and 16' long version.
That plan was completely redesigned, a 3D model was generated from the free plans, lines
faired and recalculated. It is now available at bateau.com as the RB12,
RB14 and RB16.
The houseboat and the Sailfish type boat shown on the first page are also
modern versions of free plans available here.
A 12' kayak listed here as the Plyak is available at bateau.com under the
name PY12.
All those boats have hull shapes similar to what the free plans show but are redesigned for modern materials. The new plans are more accurate, much easier to use and pay for themself in materials savings.
Safety:
Today, all production boats are designed to comply with safety and industry
standards (ABYC, USCG, ISO etc.).
Some of the best plans for amateurs (bateau.com)
are also designed in compliance with those standards.
This is not the case of the free plans.
While it is perfectly legal to build those boats as an amateur, you must
take some points in account:
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Most of those boats are not self bailing or unsinkable. Their cockpits drain in the bilges. This can be corrected by redesigning the cockpit and raise the sole above the waterline. You can also make the boat unsinkable using USCG approved buoyancy foam.
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In the case of outboard powered boats, the transoms are designed for smaller HP engines than what is common today: check your engine for size, bolting pattern and clamp width.
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The old transoms do not have motorwells. This is considered unsafe by the USCG but you can add a motorwell bulkhead. Further down,we show a link to a USCG pamphlet that shows the industry standards for outboard well dimensions. And here is a link from bateau2.com showing how to build a safe and strong transom.
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The transom clamping boards on most free plans for outboard boats, are specified as being made from mahogany or oak. Nice wood was cheap then but cost a fortune today. We recommend to build those transoms the same way than in today's production boats, from several layers of plywood glued together.
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The inboard gas engines shown on those plans are not available anymore. In many cases, you can replace them with small but costly diesel engines. Here is a tutorial showing how to install an inboard engine.
There are more differences but those are the main ones you must consider when building from the free plans.
The best technical support: we will help you succeed!
Ask questions on our support web site bateau2.com.
Designers and fellow boat builders will respond immediately. At the same
site, you will find hundreds of pages of tutorials, a forum to share tips
and thousands of pictures.