As said, the best use of CAD is the sharing of the design thru the internet with other interested designers.
If does allow copying, not a bad thing, and it shares knowledge.
But as any board designer will readily agree, if you're going to make a specific board for production, or the best one possible, you start with a good design, whether yours or another shaper's, you look at it, maybe CAD it for fine detailing, then you make your adjustments, not only in the CAD, but also in your next prototype that you HAND SHAPE. And after that plugs get's finished and tossed into the water, it get's examined, CAD'ed if you want, and another plug get's shaped with some of the new changes.
NOTICE, the shaping of MULTIPLE plugs is stressed by EVERY shaper of every company making windsurf boards.
What does that have to do with CAD? Well, in 1982, Harold Iggy had to shape at least 5 plugs, finish them to working condition, send them to test riders, get the consensus, communicate with Germany, make another adjusted plug, before the final plug get's approved.
The same steps are needed today, only a CAD print get's sent to Germany, but each plug still needs to be made with adjustments.
Why don't you doubters review a product video, from RRD, JP, Tabou, Naish, Exocet, or any other company?
What does every board designer say in the product video? THAT THEY SHAPED MULTIPLE and COUNTLESS prototypes to arrive at the final shape!
HAND SHAPING each and every one, making the needed adjustments on the next, the one after that, and the one after that. Every single one finished and put into the water, ridden by top sailiors, critiqued by top sailors, then back to the drawing board.
Where does CAD come into play? OK, each prototype CAD was sent to several different sources, so each person or team knows what is changed, what is proposed, and what new ideas need to be adopted on EACH and every stage.
Does that help the shaper/designer?
LeeD, pretty much all major board manufactures (and fin manufactures) use CAD now a days, including the ones you mentioned. IE Tractors have replaced the horse & plough. Emails replaced messenger pigeons etc etc.
Not all manufactures mention they use CAD on their websites, but they do use it!! For example, Tabou make reference to CAD. http://tabou-boards.com/boards/2016/wave-cross/da-curve/
Well, FOR SURE, if they all use it, then it's absolutely a necessity!
Yes, I know they use it. But why? THEY need to share information throughout the world to various designers, owners, team rider's, and production managers. They need approval at various stages, to proceed to the next phase. They are constantly critiqued and pressured to produce a "superior" product. The more people involved in the evolution, the more people you can blame when the final product is a failure......that's mine, just made it up.
BUT, when you are building a board for yourself, your own personal use, you do so by looking at all the successful shapes on the market, talking to a few shapers....the one's who actually are willing to talk shape and design with you..very few, you ride a bunch of boards then IN YOUR MIND, you recall advantages and disadvantages of various design parameters, then you SHAPE an actual prototype, finish it, ride it, and CHANGE IT until you get what you want. CAD is not involved, except for helping a shaper/designer understand the concepts, by showing very closely the actual shape you produced, with you knowing what you want to change. LOOKING AND DREAMING does NOT produce a better board. To produce a better board, you have to go through the process I mentioned, shaping plug afer plug, making changes along the way, and riding the board each and every step with multiple riders.
CAD is for sharing the information, which barely helps the shaper/designer.
Select to expand quotehoop said..
Hi LeeD, you seem a little confused about the use of CAD in the board development process. For me it's pretty simple, a good board is a good board. It doesn't matter whether it's been shaped by a human or shaped by a machine. The shape is the shape. The development and improvement process is entirely separate.
I'm with Mr Love on this one, I'm not sure what your point is
Spot on Hoop.....I am not arguing with LeeD about the process of shaping boards, trying them then refining the designs and shaping new and improved ones to try...of course that is the only way to do it. It is just that I use CAD as the design tool to do the initial design and then to do these design iterations. Not sure what bit of that he does not follow or has issue with. In the case of the board you did for me I designed it on a computer and had templates laser cut off the CAD file, then you hand shaped it....the process worked great in my opinion.
Anyway...very bored with this whole conversation....I have work to do
Seeya all for now..signing off from this one.
Select to expand quotemr love said..
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I am just concentrating on my ideal board for the type of sailing I like and I am pretty confident that there would be quite a few other people out there that would like them as well.
Jonesy....Carbonart is in a position to build more of these boards for us, set up to do so. Peter will get something on the KA website soonish.
Nothing wrong with an HB pencil and tracing paper, some of my best ideas are doodled on the inside of the shower screen in the mornings.
Hi Martin, please include me in that group of fans.
I joined seabreeze when your first design sketches appeared back then and I still enjoy every thread related to your brillant work (despite some recent annoying posts I started to scroll over). I'm privileged to sail your board designs for quite some years now and I had great moments on them, e.g. breaking 40 knots with the first board within first times of use or those funny moments, when even experienced racers mistake my board for some major brand shapers work. 
For me there's no doubt, that others too would like your boards. Unfortunately in windsurfing industry that doesn't necessarily mean, they will actually become available. Let's hope that it really happens this time. Regarding the partners involved it sounds quite promising to me.
Please keep sharing your board design obsession with us! Big Thanx!
Select to expand quoteFredstyles said..mr love said..
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I am just concentrating on my ideal board for the type of sailing I like and I am pretty confident that there would be quite a few other people out there that would like them as well.
Jonesy....Carbonart is in a position to build more of these boards for us, set up to do so. Peter will get something on the KA website soonish.
Nothing wrong with an HB pencil and tracing paper, some of my best ideas are doodled on the inside of the shower screen in the mornings.
Hi Martin, please include me in that group of fans.
I joined seabreeze when your first design sketches appeared back then and I still enjoy every thread related to your brillant work (despite some recent annoying posts I started to scroll over). I'm privileged to sail your board designs for quite some years now and I had great moments on them, e.g. breaking 40 knots with the first board within first times of use or those funny moments, when even experienced racers mistake my board for some major brand shapers work.
For me there's no doubt, that others too would like your boards. Unfortunately in windsurfing industry that doesn't necessarily mean, they will actually become available. Let's hope that it really happens this time. Regarding the partners involved it sounds quite promising to me.
Please keep sharing your board design obsession with us! Big Thanx!
Thanks Fred, Glad you are still enjoying the boards you built....must be time for another project, happy to design another one for you.!!!
