DaveBaxt

New to building models and chose this one which is advanced beginner. ( sold out of tug boats beginners models) Ok so far so good, completed assembly of the following Keel,Bulkhead fames and main deck. Also filled in bow and stern with filler block and faired the bulkheads to fit the planks. Unfortunately there is only 4 pages of intructions and each page has a photograph of assembled parts and a short paragraph explain what is to happen next. Most of what I have learned form this site together with some videos of planking. The instruction did not mention anything about faring the keel in the dead wood area or rebating the rabbit ,so as yet I have not done this. I have read many articals on planking ( including on here which I think I understand) I have also watched a few on Youtube which are all conflicting ,some are just making it ip as they go along others have really good ideas. My first question is do I plank downwards from the deck or up from the keel. The instruction do look as if its the deck down approach to planking which is what I like best. However some suggest from the garboard strake up to the deck first. After doing several calculation using both a taylors measuring tape and masking tape I have come to the conclusion that its going to be very tight at the bow and stern to maintain the 5 mm planks to no less than 2.5 and it will be neccassary to drop two planks forward ie 26 to 24 planks and 26 to 19 at the stern. The above is assuming I can taper the very first plank at the main deck which I don't know if this is such a good idea, However if I do not taper this plank then I think I might have to drop another plank at the stern. Dropping 8 planks at the stern seems a like a lot of planks to drop. Also am I correct in assuming that all tapering will be on the top of the plank except the garboard strake.Again if the plank at the deck is tapered on the top ,then I think this would not look to good as then the planks going up the bulwalks would give me problems as these also look to be straight and not tapered? I have tried fitting some temporary planks 5 on each side not including one 10mm from the keel and one at the deck , I have moved these about a bit but finding it difficult as the planks to not long enough and are short about a space between two bulkheads bow or stern. I am also thinking of drawing a plan of the planking to see which is the best bulkhead to drop the planks. Any help or advice would be appreciated and hopefully I can post some photos to show my progress so far.Best regards Dave ps hope this all makes sense.

Thankyou for your kind welcome.

After retiring from a life at see (34 years) a while ago and now once again taking an interest in ships. I have taking to modelling. I have already started my first model boat and just completed the bulkheads to the two part keel , faired the bulkheads and in the process of filling in and shaping in the stem and stern and shaping to take the planking. Already I have thought i should perhaps taken more care with the above proceedures. Unfortunately i have not carried out some of the procedures explained on this web site as they weren't mentioned in the instructions . I am now also wondering to extend the block filling between bulkheads further aft as this to me seems to me to be the area of greatest change and think the planks would benefit from further support. Although a good way off painting anything I did wonder at what stage do I start painting, ie do I start painting some areas such has the hull etc prior to completion or do I wait until the model is completed? I have already taken lots of ideas from this forum and and find most of it very informative however I am finding some of it I have to read the articals several times for it to sink in. Sign of old age .Haha.