Complete Newbie Needs Help Starting Out

[Jean-Paul]

Hi all, I’m a total newbie seeking a little help to get me started.

I build radio-controlled working scale model ships as a hobby and I’m particularly into ferries. By way of example, this is my latest completed project sailing on a pond: https://youtu.be/Joo2kmn-JMo

and also some of the working details close-up: https://youtu.be/_KpvRE4859U

I want to build a scale model of another ferry, the St. Columba, at 1:100 scale. I have General Arrangement drawings but no lines plans, so I need to model the hull shape.

So far, I’ve started a new file on DS, using the simplest parent boat hull as a template and loaded a profile background image, but I’m not sure where to go from there. I’m worried about making fundamental errors, so I’m looking for some guidance, for example the sequence of steps I should follow.

To be honest, I find the DS manual is not much help as a tutorial. It runs through the menu options in sequence from A-Z, but that’s like trying to learn a new language by reading the dictionary! I’ve viewed a couple of tutorials on YouTube, but they’re not much help either.  I could do with buying a copy of “Delftship for Dummies” or “Teach Yourself DS in 24 hours” if only such books existed!

If anyone out there can offer tips or guidance to get me started, I’d be very grateful. I can share my screen in a TeamViewer or Skype session at a time to suit if that helps. Happy to pay for someone’s time if they have the necessary experience to get me where I want to go!

Thanks,

JP

 

 

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