FREE!ship (formerly Freeship) FREE!ship is a highly capable, open-source 3D surface modeling program tailored specifically for designing ships, yachts, and smaller boats. Developed initially by Martijn van Engeland, it revolutionized the amateur and professional boat-building communities by introducing advanced hull-form topology without the expensive price tags of proprietary CAD suites.
Over time, the software went through major structural transitions, giving birth to separate modern design branches used by naval architects worldwide. The Evolutionary Split: From Freeship to DELFTship
To understand the current ecosystem of this software, it is vital to track how the original Freeship 2.6 split into two entirely separate platforms: 1. DELFTship (The Commercial Evolution)
After releasing version 2.6, the original developer shifted his focus from open-source distribution to commercial closed-source software. He rebranded the project as DELFTship.
DELFTship Free: A basic, complimentary version restricted in advanced stability metrics, surface fairing, and automated scripting.
DELFTship Professional: A premium, fully comprehensive stability and loading computer suite widely utilized by professional shipyards. 2. FREE!ship Plus / Lazarus (The Open-Source Continuation)
Because the original Freeship 2.6 source code was protected under the GNU General Public License (GPL), independent developers stepped in to keep the open-source spirit alive. Propelled by forks like Freeship Plus (and later versions ported to the Lazarus programming environment), this fork has continuously integrated new hydrodynamic features while remaining 100% free. Key Design & Hydrodynamic Features
Unlike traditional CAD programs that rely heavily on Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS), FREE!ship stands out by utilizing subdivision surfaces. This mathematical approach gives designers the absolute freedom to sculpt highly irregular or complex hull geometries by manipulating a flexible control mesh.
Руководство к free!Ship Ver. 2.6.`2 (из 5.0), 2026