METAL BOAT BUILDING

True Round Metal Boat Building!

Metal Boat Building

Bezier Curve Design is for "Builders" of Steel and Aluminum Boats. It is for amateurs and professionals alike. It is about building "True Round" steel and aluminum hulls. It is a design and construction methods simipfling the construction of "True Round" Hulls.

So, what makes some boats nicer than others?

I've always admired the flowing, graceful lines of the classic boats. Designer legends like Nathaniel Herreshoff produced those unmistakable, eye catching boats between late 1800 and early 1900's. Skillfully designed and crafted not only for function but beauty ... and he did it well.

When looking at houses, properties that get the most interest are those with "curb appeal". Likewise, boats must have"curve appeal"! Bezier Chine Design makes it easy to build a boat with "curb appeal".

Back in Herreshoff day "Plank on Frame" was the popular method of construction. While "Plank on Frame" construction is still used other wood building method have come into vogue - Laminated, Strip Planked and Cold Molded Methods to name a few. By far Fiberglass construction is the standard of the industry. All these method make fine True Round Hulls. But, what about those who would like to build in Steel or Aluminum?

New!
Construction is well underway on the Bezier 12.5
An aluminum, classic styled, 16' Daysailer
Follow it's progress on the Right Toolbar

"One Of" Metal boat builders, like us, have been limited to hard chine designs. Why? Because true round metal hulls are just to difficult to build.

Working in metal requires unique skills and experience. To construct a true round metal hull with "Curve Appeal" you need a professional metalworker with skills and equipment. If only the current method could be simplified, and allow "One Of" boat builders the opportunity to choose an easily built true round aluminum or steel design.

How to simplify metal construction?

Incorporating the use of the Bezier curve and todays technology I successfully developed my own method to easily form aluminum or steel into a true round hull form.

I wanted a true round construction method that was easy to build. The ideal construction method would need no more than Hard Chine building skills. Most importantly it must have ... "curve appeal"!

A Bezier curves and technology are important to metal boat design. To understand the basic of Bezier Curve Design Click Here.

Using the Bezier Curve Method we can build a true round hull using Hard Chine Building skills and basic tools that yes, has curve appeal! Click for Study Plans.

Shell panels are shaped using a cold forming "Press Break" process. The method is simple, consistent, and predictable.

Bezier Curve Design produces full size flat patterns of the hulls three dimensional surface. Information such as bend angle, forming line, and reference dimensions needed to form the flat patterns to it's original three dimensional shape are also provided with the each patterns.

The curved sections of this hull fit together easily, with minimal adjustment onto the framework.

The pre-engineered design and fabrication method enables an average person to build a true round bottom hull using the same skills as required in hard chine construction.

The result is the unmistakable beauty of a round hull - the uninterrupted graceful line curving to meet the water.

Additionally Bezeir Curve does away with many of the methods and tools use by Skilled Boat Builders. Bezier Curve Construction uses none of the below tools or methods in it's construction process.

NO Dogs and clamps to force the shell plating to the framework

NO Explosive, stretch, and hydraulic forming

NO English Wheel

NO Line heating with a torch

NO Rolling equipment

NO Special and expensive forming die

Dennis Schaffer, Yacht Designer
Telephone - 617-653-1063

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SBI!