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Easiest to plank


MikeB4

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I have four Model Shipways kits in my closet waiting to be built. since I haven't actually built and completed a ship model yet, I'm wondering which out of the three ships is the easiest to plank for a first time ship build?

The Mayflower

Pride of Baltimore 2

Benjamin Latham

Ship model.jpg

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MikeB4,

Of these 4, I have only built the Latham.  Planking was not too difficult since there are no real sharp bends and the planking directions were very clear on how to taper the planks (My memory is not great and perhaps I followed the directions in "Planking the Built-up Ship Model" by Jim Roberts). I think the Mayflower would be the most difficult because of the extreme curves at the bow.  I gave up on my Santa Maria model since i messed up the bow planking so badly, and it has a similar hull to the Mayflower. The Whale Boat might be the easiest simply because it is smaller, on a larger scale and less to plank over all.  Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

 

Ron

Leesburg, VA

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The Pride of Baltimore or the Latham would be pick.  As Ron says the Santa Maria might be difficult.  I wouldn't start with the whale boat.  Although the whaleboat shape is generally considered easy to plank this kit is very detailed and takes some time to do right.

My advice and comments are always worth what you paid for them.

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Thank you for your advise gentlemen. I probably will start with the whaleboat next and then move on to either of the two schooners. I'm going to take a ride to mystic seaport soon. There's a book on building the whaleboat in their bookstore that maybe of help, that I'm going to purchase before I start the build. Also that will give me an opportunity to take pictures of the real boats.

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7 hours ago, MikeB4 said:

Thank you for your advise gentlemen. I probably will start with the whaleboat next and then move on to either of the two schooners. I'm going to take a ride to mystic seaport soon. There's a book on building the whaleboat in their bookstore that maybe of help, that I'm going to purchase before I start the build. Also that will give me an opportunity to take pictures of the real boats.

Is "To Build a Whaleboat: Historical Notes and a Modelmaker's Guide" by Erik Ronnberg the book you are going to get at Mystic Seaport?  If not you should take a look at Mr. Ronnberg's book.  It is the best I have found on building a whaleboat model.

 

My advice and comments are always worth what you paid for them.

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The book I'm referring to is by Willits D. Ansel. The book's title is, The Whaleboat: A Study of Design, Construction and Use from 1850 - 1970

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The whaleboat, which I have built, is the easiest to plank because the planks are pre-cut, and as long as you keep the order and the fore-aft orientation straight, you can't go wrong.

 Having said that the model itself is not a "beginner". You construct an inverted form with "bulkheads" and build the model over that. The planks themselves  are a combination of clinker (overriding the adjacent plank with some angled edge sanding to get the proper orientation) and edge to edge supported by an underlying batten. The ribs themselves are added after removal from the form, so it's not a "framed" build.The planks are glued to each other and, for the edge to edge planks to the underlying batten and not to the "bulkheads". Excess glue and especially glue that gets between the planks and the form "bulkheads" can make the removal process "exciting".

Although not a "beginner" it was the first ship I built, although with more experience now I know I would have done a better job if I were to build it today.

The included book is great and all the resource you need.

Good luck.

 

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