These can then be output directly to a printer, .DXF file, an offset table file or a file for conversion to another format such as Wolfson Unit Hydrostatics. This module also computes the basic hydrostatics for the ship, including displacement, form parameters, metacentres, centres of buoyancy and flotation, sectional areas and wetted surface area. ShipShape represents the ship hull by a network of longitudinal and transverse three-dimensional spline curves on the hull surface, as described above. A rectangular grid of intersecting longitudinals and sections represents this network. Figure 1 Figure 1 shows such a grid for a typical hull, as seen when linking curves into the network.
Horizontal lines represent the longitudinals, and vertical lines represent the sections.
A curve number next to the curve start point shows the locations of curves within the network in the grid. Curves do not need to be continuous across the network, but can start and stop at any intermediate point. This allows for slope discontinuities, such as chines and knuckles. Holes are permitted in the network, allowing for features such as skegs, forecastles, appendages and multihulls. Once a curve has been entered it can be edited, using the keyboard, mouse or digitiser.