What is a Table of Offsets and Lofting? Designing a boat.
A full explanation of how a Table of Offsets is developed and used to loft a full size boat. Lofting is enlarging a boats plans to full size. It is an essential step in the process of building a boat. Boat Builder, Bob Emser provides a clear explanation of the process that has cofounded many boat builders, amateurs and professionals alike.
“If you’re going to make it, make it beautiful.”
Bob Emser
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Пікірлер: 248
never have i been more exited for a youtube video than seeing a 35min lofting vid on my for you page
You’re going a long way to de-mystify the process of planning and lofting to me Bob. Thankyou.
I have looked at any number of drawings and I always ended up scratching my head. Thanks for clearing up a lot of my questions.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
My Pleasure.
I love that you are the one to build the tender for Arabella. Two of my favorite channels coming together for something huge. I can't wait for this last year of building Arabella to come to the point of launch. It's one project I have watched from the start. And to see it completed will be sad as well as so extremely proud of the team. Thanks for joining them on this project.
After having seen the complete series of Acorn to Arabella, I now am following The Art of Boatbuilding. It's great and I really admire this contribution of Bob Emser and hij detailed explanations, I love it! I live in Holland near the sea, only 7 km's away, so there is always that wish to go there.
Thanks for the clear and logical explanation of the proper way to build a boat. Getting your plans could be my first step in getting my ducks in a row!
WOW! It's like boat building 101 for dummies after your explanation of the lofting of Victoria the tender it's much more clearer on the seemingly complex process I almost feel like I could do it myself THANKS for the tutorial Bob just did something I've been wanting to do purchased a t-shirt and encourage others to do the same
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Glad it helped!
Best explanation of lofting I have ever heard. Thanks and well done Bob 👏
Though I will never actually loft or built a boat I find your explanations have taken the mystery out of this process. Thank you, Sir
hi I am a retired engineer and i have enjoyed you content. technically and the construction of the boats. keep going John C Bozzelli
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thanks John!
I would love a set of plans for Victoria, I’ve always been into boat building but do not have the space to do it myself, would still love to have the plans either for the future or to just hang up as art. Thank you for your in-depth videos that really help to understand the whole process of building something so unique
I have been enjoying your KZread channel since season 1, and having grown up in Maquoketa, IA, it is encouraging to see such a skilled boatbuilder working in the Midwest. I haven't heard you say your typical sign-off line in a while, but I couldn't agree more, "If you make it, make it beautiful"
I love that you "own" being dyslexic rather than being afraid of it. What a Man.
You just made everything so much more clear for me. I totally agree with Marshall Alwin. I have a few things left to do in our home and am currently building a small camper, but my ultimate goal is to build a small wooden boat someday, and your channel has helped me understand things so much better, and I’m steadily gaining confidence in attempting such a task. Thanks for all your information and expertise! ❤
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Kevin, I've been helping boat builder build their boats online for some time now. If you'd like more information here is a link. www.boatbuildingbootcamp.com/ Cheers, Bob
You being dyslexia you have good hand writing. I am dyslexia to my writing is horrible. I like watching you because you give me a lot of encouragement. I am 75 years old an school in 1953 was very hard just to get along.
super cool channel i love your way of explaining things im learning a lot. and god to se you dit not let dyslexia hold you back in life thumbs up !
Watching the Victoria build and getting very interested in building this project. I have been looking for a small strip build sailing dinghy and your instructions are fascinating to watch, patience is key. Thank you. Captain Dave Hickey owner of Patriot a 2002 Island Packet 420.
I really appreciate how simple and effective lofting is Watching you, and Steve previously, is an insight into how petite have built boats for hundreds of years.
Clear and concise explanation of the table of offsets used to loft Victoria. Another great video Bob. Thanks for sharing!
Today’s video was so satisfying. A touchstone to the past at the same time useful for any plans purchased today. Once again, my coffee got cold while I was so focused watching.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great series Bob, I was trying to keep up with your imperial measurements as you called them out, good fun, thanks for publishing 👌
A POSITIVE comment. What's wrong with people that it has to be pointed out? He's not building your boat. What do you care? If you don't enjoy it, why are you watching it?? Victorias process will be every bit as beautiful as she'll turn out to be. Lofting made to look so easy. The teacher is the difference. Very well explained.
Thanks, it was the first time I understood how to read a table of offset. I live on the other side of the Atlantic and here the decimal system is applied. A half is written as 0.5, a quarter as 0.25 where you write 4 and 2 implicitly eighths. Perhaps a twelve-digit system would be better. Although it is hardly realistic to implement. Here you enter measurements in millimeters even for large structures such as houses, bridges or ships. Small and very small details in tenths, hundredths and thousandths of a millimeter, etc. 0.5 means five implied tenths, 0.25 twenty-five implied hundredths. But mainly it is with great pleasure I follow the development of both A to A and the dinghy in your workshop. You are all very skilled and committed.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Kare, Thank you for following along Whether using metric or imperial they are both tick marks on a stick. Both offset tables would look the same just a different number. Why did I use imperial? I really don't expect many viewer to design a boat and need to take off the measurement. However, watching it done does help to explain what an offset table is. As I said in the video, that I would be using the traditional notation so that if you purchase boat plans that needs to be lofted you'd understand what the notations meant. Thanks for watching! Cheers, Bob
@karelundberg9523
Жыл бұрын
Thank you for your comprehensive answer. I have worked as an architect with houses and interiors here in Sweden but also been interested in boat design and made some constructions and built and renovated some sailboats. Later, I used CAD programs using splines to describe lines with curvature and created tables for these. However, I did not understand how tables of empirical measurements work with eighths until you clearly described them in your video. I have previously seen an empirical tithe system but it was difficult and easily led to error.
This was really informative and a great thing to learn. I really enjoyed a peak at how these go together!
Great video, clear, entertaining, & well recorded & edited. Essentially an enjoyable classroom experience. Makes me want to build my own boat. All your videos that I have seen are excellent. Thanks
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Jim!
Lovely, patient explanations, and I particularly appreciate that you mention dyslexia without making a big deal about it, and even being reassuring that a reversal will simply show up in the work and be easily corrected. I work with dyslexic students, and this matter-of-fact attitude of "no disaster" is one of many important ingredients for progress.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Scobie,I appreciate your kind comment.
So glad you are building Victoria. Can't wait to see how she comes out.
I have always been a rc model boat builder and thought I understood these drawings. I must say you have made things so much clearer. I found your channel thru watching A2A. Love your channel and what you are doing for Arabella.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
11 ай бұрын
Thanks Joe
Bob, Really enjoyed and learned a lot about lofting … especially developing and applying the table of offsets. I guess you cold call this the hidden art of boat building.
Thank you France for the SI metric system
excellent explanation. It would be interesting if it had subtitles in Portuguese.
As always, I enjoy your excellent videos and expert skills. I am a sailer and have been a boater and woodworker virtually my entire long life, yet I often learn new things from you. I first became a fan of yours when you joined the Tally Ho rebuild, which was coincidently was when I also became an Arabella junky. I've seen all of your videos, and would like to thank you for your kind gift of building Victoria for Steve, and being a very good, eloquent teacher/mentor of boat building. You make the world a better, more beautiful place.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Carl!
Awesome explanations Bob. Your videos are some of my favorites. The way you explain complicated things so that all of us laymen can understand is quite a gift. Thank you and I look forward to the next video. Victoria will be the Jewel in Arabellas Crown.
Well done Bob. Very well presented. This will be a valuable reference to any boat builder. Please keep posting these excellent videos. Ian
Thumbs up! My favourite thing is the woodworking involved; it amazes me how unique it is and because lives literally depend on it the quality of craftsmanship is at a whole different level. Wonderful to see. Also there is something spiritual (like) building Victoria, having seen the original and the state of her, so this is a resurrection of sorts as Steve said (that's how I see it anyway). Boats are like that and especially wooden ones, they're not like a car but much more like a horse where they accompany the passengers on the trip and have a shared interest in arriving safely at their destination.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Well said my friend!
Fun and informative. Thank you.
Fantastic Bob… you’re a very good teacher. 🇨🇦
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Bill!
Very useful info. Thanks a lot!!!
The tender is terrific
I really enjoyed this video never knew that it wasn't always done on the floor. The battins is what gives the grace.
It’s really nice to see you get all your ducks in a row!
Pretty interesting process indeed, Bob! 😃 Looking forward to the next steps! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
It's refreshing to see someone else in my age bracket that's also willing to admit to being number dyslexic. At the time I graduated from HS no one had ever heard of dyslexia. I was 20 when I figured out what my issue was with numbers and began finding ways to work around it. Now 50+ years later I routinely get 7 to 10 digit numbers 100% correct 95% of the time.😁 And yet, I still double check even 2-3 digit numbers I'm working with.😂
@weatheranddarkness
Жыл бұрын
measure twice, cut once right
Reminds me of what I did back in 2020 as I drew my boat 😀. Amazing technic !!!
Well done Bob! Very clear explanation of a potentially complicated process. Looking forward to the next installment..
I have been following you through the Haven project and am now enjoying your Victoria project. I love your clear presentation of the many skills and crafts of boatbuilding.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Hi Holman, Thank you so much! Bob
This boat building really is an ART....well done 😎
Great explanation of the process
Great to see the project unfold
I would love to have the plans for Victoria Bob! She is becoming such a beautiful tender.
Great lofting class Bob. Your presentation is spot on and certainly takes the mystery out of the process. Just looking at the lines so far, this is going to be a sweet dinghy and as beautiful as Arabella. Thank you for sharing this part of the adventure.
To quote Bevus and Butthead, “Your like a genius and stuff.” Nice to see Victoria coming along, and I’m sure it will be as close to perfect as possible. 😉
Glad to see you had your ducks in a row at 25:10.
Hi Bob, thanks so much for such a clear explanation of lofting, so pleased you're the one building Victoria. Looking forward to the next video
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it
amzing work
Still fuzzy on lofting. I struggle in the aerospace industry with many types of aircraft print section views in my career. Funny how this old tech was used up till the 80’s and many aircraft in use today decades later were lofted. Thank you for your videos. This encourages me to dig deeper to understand 😊
@tomtruesdale6901
Жыл бұрын
For many years I thought lofting was almost black magic and could not wrap my head around it till one day i sat down with a simple set of plans and actually drew them out like Bob showed and it all became clear to me. Think of it as putting points on a graph the X-Y lines are the Water lines and station lines
@joeedh
Жыл бұрын
This approach is actually a lot better than using CAD. Mathematically speaking it will produce a more monotonic and fair curvature profile and is easier to control.
I'm also dyslexic and one thing you have on me is the ability to work with numbers. They are a foreign language to me. Can't wait for the build though.
Yes! A set of plans!
Thnx Bob. Found it most helpful. I'm in the process of lofting currently and it provided a few tips.. Looking forward to the build..
Once again, well done Bob. Your videos are of course informative and entertaining, but most importantly they are efficient. Just like a table of offsets and the lofting process, it gives us just what is needed no more no less. You, me and probably most your viewers have some article of clothing with a body plan of a boat printed on it. Why? Because it’s magic! It’s a simple 2D representation of possibly the most beautiful 3D object one can imagine, a boat. Your videos are the same, simple 30 minute clips that reveal volumes of information. 2D to 3D at a glance. Magic!
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Hi Matthew, Thanks for your thoughtful comment. I couldn't agree more about the body plan, clearly, as I have a body plan as my logo. It is as you say "magic". Thanks for watching. Hopefully there will be more magic to come! heers, Bob
Very well explained!
Bob, I appreciate your attention to detail... thank you, sir!
great detail as always
I appreciate your best intention to educate us on this subject, Thank you so much.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
Well explained Bob - You are getting "YOUR DUCKS IN A ROW"
As I get older seems like I’m always learning something I forgot. Nice thing though it brings back memories
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Ho Ann, So glad you enjoyed the trip! Bob
Nicely explained, Bob! As a retired architect and (very!) amateur boatbuilder, I have sometimes wished that working drawings for buildings would adopt the feet-inches-eigths convention used in tables of offsets to describe boats. As you've shown so well in this episode, it is clearer, simpler, and less prone to error than writing out fractions. Having followed the Haven construction from the beginning, I admire your many skills and talents, and the great care you bring to your all your work. Being a perfectionist is a good thing - never doubt it!
@banjopete
Жыл бұрын
Or we could go metric, like the rest of the planet😊.
@peaterful
Жыл бұрын
@@banjopete Millimetres would be great for this! I am looking at buying boat plans from an US designer and would either need to buy imperial tapes, squares and rulers, or tranlate the measurements into mm. I'm in the UK where we use a confusing mix of metric and imperial but as a carpenter I use metric. It is much simpler to my mind
Excellent! Clear and precise. And yes, I would very much be interested in purchasing plans for Victoria.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Coming soon! I’ll announce how to get a set in the final episode of the series.
@nickbarsby3378
Жыл бұрын
@@TheArtofBoatBuilding One other question if I may: being both an aviation and boat nut, I'm intruiged by what appear to be stylised sections of Spitfire wing hanging on your workshop wall. What's the story behind them?
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
@@nickbarsby3378 They were a part of a sculpture exhibition I had in Chicago during the International Sculpture Conference. Here is a link: www.bobemser.com/Image.asp?ImageID=1629003&apid=1&gpid=1&ipid=1&AKey=5K235NVB Thanks for your interest. Bob
@nickbarsby3378
Жыл бұрын
@@TheArtofBoatBuilding Really like those. Great engineering but you highlight the art and grace of the original design.
Good stuff Bob! Looks like a lot of fun. I’ve had questions about diagonals and this helps
When I first saw a set of off-sets I was totally confused as to what it all meant but once I started looking at it closer it became clearer and then one day I sat down and drew out a simple set and it dawned on me I was simply plotting points on a grid. It was an Ah ha moment. Your description was the clearest I have seen. Thank you. As for the folks who complain about you working on the floor I have to ask them why is the area where boat shops do the lofting called the "lofting floor"?
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Tom!
Thank You for giving a comprehensive insight of planning and lofting a boat. I‘d be interested in a plan of Victoria. My only problem is, I am more familiar with the decimal system
@thomasarussellsr
Жыл бұрын
Then my suggestion would be to take the table of off-sets and take each number and convert it to metric in a new working table for yourself, if you have a set of plans you wish to work from. Then work from your new table-of-[metric]-off-sets to layout your lofting floor. Or, if you have a metric scaled ruler like Bob's for this type of drafting, then measure out the boat plans and build your own table-of-off-sets, in metric, from the plan's drawings, like he did in imperial measure. You can do all milimeters, or m-cm-mm, your choice. What ever makes it work best for you. Of course, meters would rarely be used on a boat this small, but if it were a larger boat, then maybe.
Comme d'habitude, je suis très impressionné par la qualité de vos vidéos.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
merci beaucoup
I have to laugh, I have done that way back when on auto body design. The same system is/was used on naval, aircraft and automobile design work. I also did it with CAD. In fact I did a boat design on CAD, Solidworks, last year for a friend. Somethings never change.
Hey, Bob. I really love your channel and what you do.
Really like watching your processes.
Very informative and easy to understand. Thank You Bob for sharing your knowledge!
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
My Pleasure. Thanks for watching!
Very Good, thank you Bob.
I like that you are demonstrating the pre cad design method for a product. I came here from AcorntoArabella and have enjoyed yor videos, thank you.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Hi Ronald, Indeed It is so nice to see the boat drawing in full scale. I really give on a sense of the scale. Glad you here! Cheers, Bob
Great show, It really was informative to see the process from half hall model to life size layout.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely fascinating and so easy to understand thank you.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Glad it was helpful!
good!
Well done! Until now, to me, lofting was a dark art. In this video you removed the mystery in a very logical, easy to follow way. Many thanks.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thank you! Cheers! Bob
Great video, well done!
Great video as always, and very interesting too. P.S. Is that a B787 Silhouette in the window pane? I love it when engineering becomes an art form. Like the E'Type Jaguar, Super-marine Spitfire, and The Millau Viaduct in France, of course there are many more examples.
@jerrymiller276
Жыл бұрын
Yes, like high performance sailplanes; form following function at its most beautiful.
Hi Bob In your next video, could you talk about the pros and cons of building a hull in the inverted or upright position? Please. Thanks Glenn
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
I will be sure to address it in a future video. Thanks for watching! Bob
Great explanations as always, would like a copy of the plans
I would love a set of plans!
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Hi Phil, Thanks for your interest in a set of plans for Victoria. As I move along fine tuning the construction details I will try to have a full set of plans available when I finished. Thanks for watching! Bov
@philstringer3668
Жыл бұрын
@@TheArtofBoatBuilding Thanks Bob! What would be terrific is a set of mylar patterns for the stations, stem, stern post, transom, and building notes. I'm not really interested in lofting a boat. Thank again
Am really enjoying your recent videos. Would be interested in a set of drawings for Victoria. Need a dingy/tender for our boat.
Love all of your work. Beautifully designed and executed. Just thinking, isn't the view a "half-breadth," not "half-breath?"
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
You are correct! As a dyslexic pronouncing words is always a challenge especially when there is a similar word. Thanks for watching! cheers, Bob
@JonathanLavash
Жыл бұрын
@@TheArtofBoatBuilding Thanks Bob, love your style and your work. Didn't actually hear you pronounce it wrong, it was in the Offset Table.
I love using the floor for all kinds of work... such a great flat big working space, and you can sit anywhere you want., and when you're done just use a broom and make it clean. I don't see why people have a problem with others doing it. Just make sure you have some soft pads or a sheepskin to protect your knees and ankles, and it makes it a lot more comfortable.
@horatiohornblower868
Жыл бұрын
The great advantage of working on the floor is that you can use ducks to fix the batten. Lofting vertically would make that impossible, or you could use a metal base and magnets.
Thanks for the good video.
Thanks!
I would be interested in a set of plans. Could be a fun project to build some day for little boat on a lake.
I love your attention to details and explanations Mr. Emser. One question I have is how is the loaded water line determined so you can plot it on your line drawings?
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Hi Art, I determined the L.W.L. from the 2 boat plans I used as inspiration. It would be more appropriate for me to denote it as "designed waterline" D.W.L Thanks for the question. I'll change the notation. Thanks for watching. Cheers, Bob
cool 🤙
I would be interested in a set of plans
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
I plan on making them available once I have a chance to draw them up properly. Still need to design the sail plan.
I’d be interested in a set of plans for Victoria. +1 for making those available to support the project.
I remember some old time drywall installers calling out measurements that way to they guy making the cuts.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Interesting!
Brilliant. Some say metric would be better, so might a plotter! But that isn't the point. This is a journey back in time to demonstrate the traditional methods used before the age of plastic and computers. I applaud the preservation of lost arts.
@TheArtofBoatBuilding
Жыл бұрын
Thank you Cliff!
@chilltake
Жыл бұрын
It does beg the question. Why not just use metric? Honest question
@cliffingram270
Жыл бұрын
@@chilltake No reason, it's more efficient. But then we wouldn't have learnt how it was done in the era of wooden boat building. I can only speak for myself but it's the traditional and historical approach that appeals.
@chilltake
Жыл бұрын
@@cliffingram270 sure. I can get behind the nostalgia of it :). Thanks for replying
Yes to plans, if you can ship to NZ:-)