Mayflower hull planking

[Jon LawrenceParticipant @jonlawrence80935]

I have a Constructo Maylower kit which the wife bought me years ago and which spent most of that time in the loft after I realised that the hull planking was going horribly wrong.

That's all been taken off and I'm ready to start again. The plan is to fit the top and bottom planks with another at the water line and do the measurements and tapering from there.

My problem is the garboard strake which I believe should be wider than the other planks. No such plank is supplied with this kit as all the planks are the same width. The plank will need to be near horizontal amid ships and vertical at the stern.

How is this twisting acheived? Can this be done in situ or is it best to introduce the twist in advance ? Given the tension that this plank is going to be under, what is the best glue to use?

Lots of questions but I am new to this kind of modelling and would appreciate any advice.

Thanks

Jon

[Jon LawrenceParticipant @jonlawrence80935]

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Jon,

never mind all answers are here……..**LINK** cheers Larry..

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

Jon, hello and welcome.

I built a Mayflower some years back, I think mine was a Billings kit. That was also when I started planking too and it did seem a bewildering job to tackle. I'd seen proper planking on full size ships and did not like the rather odd way of planking that was shown.

Glad to hear you are starting out right. The garboard strake is the first on, but you other suggestions are close but need thinking through. The hull should have a sheer along its length, a curve from bow to stern, and in the Mayflower a very severe rise at the stern. I remember that the deck actually curves upwards slightly too. So yes, even without a proper garboard strake, assign one, and yes it does have to take that change of curve from near flat to near upright at the stern, either soak it in water, steam it or nip it inside with plank bending pliers. I learnt long ago to get timber that takes the curve, and jetulong is one of the best,

On the hull temporarily fix batterns about 5/6 planks width apart at the "beamiest" point on the hull. Not sure that word exists, but I mean the line around the hull, port deck to starboard deck which is longest. With luck this will be on a frame (nearly). Using this as the datum, divide the length by the plank widths, that gives the number of planks. As you say, the planks taper to each end. Those batterns mentioned above, fix on this frame first, then in pairs (one each side of the hull) allow them to curve naturally to the hull shape, temp fixing them to each frame. I used twist ties from plastic bags first. The space between these batterns is then planked in, shaping each plank to fit, the measuring is called "spiling" and is the way planking is done.

Enter "spilling boat planks" and look at the images by google. I bet the first ones show batters laid across the frames to show the shape and curvature of area needed planking.

I have some publications on planking, send me a PM if you want.

Kimosubby

[Jon LawrenceParticipant @jonlawrence80935]

Hello Larry and Kimosubby,

Thanks for the link and the advice on planking. I am taking early retirement this December and I am looking forward to getting stuck in.

However building the Mayflower is not a high prority on my wife's jobs list.

Jon

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

HI Jon ,

Glad to be of help, you see the list my wife posts every year…..….

its just a fine balance ,falling on swmbo side……....

enjoy your retirement and boating cheers Larry…

[Jan BonthuysParticipant @janbonthuys37656]

I note this posts was started in 2013. Jon I hoe you are still enjoying the retirement?

How did you do with the Mayflower planking? I am starting now?

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