Long before half-hull models became a staple of marine museums and living room walls, they were an essential tool for marine designers and shipbuilders alike. Indeed, the models offered not only a three-dimensional scale rendering of the completed vessel but also a set of comprehensive construction plans for the shipwright. Even in these days of CAD and 3-D printers, the model can still serve today’s builders by offering the opportunity to see what they are getting into and what the lines on their blueprints are actually saying. For the boat owner (or prospective boat owner), building a model can be a great way to spend some cold winter evenings carving an accurate and handsome rendition of the boat of their dreams.

Half-Hull Modeling takes the reader through the entire process of making an accurate half model: history, tools, woods, safety, finishes, construction jigs, interpreting and working with lines plans, patternmaking, and constructing both waterline and buttock lift models. For those who already own a classic model and would like to build a replica, the book also offers instructions on how to build a measuring device to capture the lines of a hull and develop a set of lines plans.