Figures 12, 13, 14 & 15, A, B, C, & D:

This would be without a doubt the hardest of all planks to fit. The garboard in a real ship is heavier and wider than the other planks. Its width is different to the others because normally it is such an odd shape to lie against the keel and twist sometimes through 90 degrees to produce a straight edge for the first of the other planks to lie against. Figure 12 shows a temporary batten secured along the bulkheads at a distance from the keel that is at the maximum width of the piece of material to be used for the garboard plank. As an example say the garboard plank is 10mm wide. Measure the distance from the temporary batten at the widest gap to the keel across the top of the bulkhead. Make sure this measurement does not exceed the width of the plank being used e.g. 10mm. At each bulkhead record the measurement from the batten to the keel, again record this measurement in the bulkhead plank graph figure 11 in the bottom boxes.

 

When the measurements have been recorded take your piece of plank and starting from the stern end this time mark downwards from the top of the plank. Make a mark as to the measurement from the graph. Likewise do the same at bulkhead 7 the measurement from the graph again from the top of the plank. Carry out this operation for the full length of the plank finishing at the stem. With a piece of paper card mark out the angle of the stem piece, cut the card to the shape and transfer this shape to the end of the plank.

I would suggest leaving a little additional length to this step to allow trimming of the plank on the job. When all marks and measurements have been checked and recorded on the plank take a plastic ruler on its edge and join the dots, using at least three dots to obtain the correct flow of the line and draw a line with a sharp pencil. Ships curves are a better option to a plastic ruler but if not available a ruler is suitable. These marks should flow gracefully without sharp humps and bumps for the entire length. Carefully cut along the line leaving a little extra material little to be sanded later to ensure a perfect fit.

 

NOTE: I haven’t mentioned about cutting the planks to actual scale lengths. This is a matter of choice but my advise at this stage would be to at least make the garboard plank a full length rather than cut it into separate scale lengths. This would at least get you underway with a straight edge to work from.