Hi Everyone.

I'm just finishing building a 6m trimaran in Hampshire made from 4,6,9 and 18mm ply - all very carefully drawn and cut by hand from 8 x 4 sheets. (and very slowly...)

It is sailing and working very well, so much so in fact that I am getting interest from people who want to build it for themselves.

I have my plans on paper and also in FreeShip (boat related CAD type software) which enables me to get my curved panels converted into dimensions on the flat plywood sheets, so when they are pulled together and glassed/epoxied they form the quite complex curved shapes.

I can export in various formats from this software.

I am hoping someone might be able to help with some outline advice on any potential machines that could deal with cutting the templates out from the gaboon ply so people could buy everything pre-cut to speed up the process - for people with less experience this would certainly be a desirable option. Various people would still prefer to loft it themselves and do everything by hand.

I am therefore looking for something that can deal with 8x4 gaboon ply sheets.

Sheet list is as follows currently but potentially better nesting might improve this:
4mm 8x4 - 5 sheets
6mm 8x4 - 12 sheets
9mm 8x4 - 6 sheets
18mm 8x4 - 2 sheets

A couple of initial questions if I could:

What are the file formats generally required?

Are there any machines that work with the working sheet in a vertical orientation which would be beneficial for space? I can work with a horizontal machine, I will just need to move stuff around, but a vertical frame seems vaguely sensible and leave everything attached with tabs and then break out afterwards.

It will be low use - if I sell half a dozen kits a year I will be beyond impressed. I could though with these kits also more easily build the basic hulls myself to sell to people to finish off the build which might also be quite attractive to less committed buyers.

Speed is not really an issues as once programmed it can be left quite happily - an order does not need fulfilling immediately. No panic boat building!

Better accuracy and repeatability is required more than speed.

What accuracy is required - if within half a mil is in reality perfectly fine.

Is there software that I can import my long 6+m panels that will split them up into 3 sheets and is adding puzzle joint possible within any of this for extra bonding area? I could potentially add a butt block behind it anyway.

Are decent scarf joints feasible at 12:1 with the 6mm sheet? I am guessing so.

The first one I came across was this
https://www.uk-diycnc.com/kit-pricing
and there appear to be a number around in kit form.

I am not at all experienced with CNC machines but am technically and practically competent so a kit solution is not a problem.

I will also check around to outsource this as well, but I'm guessing the cost involved could be pretty prohibitive and if I sell one or two kits even I'll probably get my cash back.

Any basic things to be looking out for eg software compatibility, reliability, getting functional on the software etc?

I will be most grateful for any advice you could offer to start me in the right direction. This is the first day I have started thinking about this and only for about half an hour so far, so if this is just not practical it is good to find out early.

Many thanks!