Best Modeler and Renderer for Marine Design

[TenFour]

I'm looking for some advice about which the best program would be for designing yachts. I would like to make 3D models of exteriors and interiors, but do not need to design electrical/mechanical systems. I can't afford to go and buy all the software out there, much less take the time to learn it all... right now I am about to order Rhino 3D, but if I could only use one modeler and one renderer, which would be best in your opinion?

MODELERS:

3D Studio Max
SolidWorks
Others?

RENDERERS:

Flamingo (bundled with Rhino 3D)
Maxwell
V-Ray
Others?

Thank you in advance!

 

[arkitect]

Personally I always recommend Rhino 3D…

Have you had a look at the RhinoMarine plugin?
That and Maxwell render is a great setup.

 

[TenFour]

Personally I always recommend Rhino 3D…

Have you had a look at the RhinoMarine plugin?
That and Maxwell render is a great setup.

Thanks for the response. I've been in touch with some heavyweights in the yacht design industry, and some of them have advised me to work in Rhino, too. I'm pretty sure it's the program-du-jour as far as the marine design industry is concerned. I was aware of RhinoMarine also, so I'm glad you mentioned it, but I need some clarification... is it a free add-on that you can download from the Rhino site, or do you have to purchase it... my intention was to purchase it for a few hundred bucks, I forget the price I was quoted, but one link I followed made it look as though it were a free download. Do you know what the deal is? And thanks again for the reply!