Lofting is the process of converting reduced-scale drawings to full-size templates in wooden boat construction. It is an old method that has been replaced by Computer Aided Design (CAD) in commercial boat building, but hobbyists still enjoy the process. Modern commercial shipbuilding primarily uses precast steel construction, but lofting remains a topic of interest to small boat builders.
Lofting is a term used in the construction of wooden boats. The design of a boat begins with a complicated drawing that lists the dimensions and other pertinent information. In an effort to ensure that the finished boat maintains its lines, including the graduated curves in the hull, builders require full and actual scale initial design plans. By sketching full-scale layout plans, the builder can better see exact sizes and assembly requirements before cutting individual wood components. This process of converting reduced-scale drawings to full-size templates is known as lofting.
As a drafting technique, lofting is considered an old method that requires many more steps than necessary, especially in commercial boat building. Boat builders must take a line plan, the initial design drawing, and turn it into a full-size plan using complicated mathematical formulas and calculations. With the help of modern technology, lofting is no longer a necessity. Computer Aided Design (CAD) has long replaced lofting as the preferred method of drawing ship plans. CAD drawings provide exact measurements based on any scale, with just the click of a mouse.
However, hoba boat builders often enjoy the process of raising boat lines rather than buying pre-built plans. In terms of boat building, hobbyists often prefer the time and attention to detail required when using this particular drawing method. Detail drafting work can be especially attractive to hobbyists for whom the carpentry aspect of boat building is the most enjoyable task. Lofting allows them to visualize each piece of wood before they begin to cut and shape it, imagining where each piece will join into the whole.
Historically, the lofting process began sometime between the Middle Ages and the Industrial Revolution. Prior to this, master shipbuilders maintained a secretive environment around construction methods to insulate their trade: the first treatise on shipbuilding was not published until 1436. As naval architecture advanced into a recognized profession, draughtsmen they became an integral part of shipbuilding. and publications describing various maritime methodologies, including lofting, becoming more widely available.
Modern commercial shipbuilding primarily uses precast steel construction for hulls and keels, eliminating the need for wooden plan layouts, and later the need for line plans. However, private boats, yachts, and other small boat designs still feature many wood and composite construction materials. As such, the fading process continues to be a topic of interest to small boat builders, especially those small-scale boat builders for whom custom wooden boats are a specialty. Numerous books and other publications detailing this writing process are available throughout the world.
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