Mark. I have read all the tutorials and one other that have all helped but none actually tell someone where to start the first plank. So I started searching through my other books and in one I actually found the answer. And I am happy to post here in the off chance someone else is having the same problem.
From the book Ship Modeling Simplified, by Frank Mastini, page 36 “you must start the planking about one-half plank width below the deckline.”
acaron41120's post in Where to start the top plank was marked as the answer