Endeavour 1934 by Julie Mo - Amati - Scale 1:35 - America's Cup UK J-Class Challenger

[Nirvana]

Julie, thank you for the explanation. Never seen it before but now makes sense.

[mikiek]

Didn't even notice the spile, but it makes sense that you would have to. No matter which way the planks run, the slightest bow in an edge gets huge a few inches away.

[Roger Pellett]

Diagonal planking is much more common than one might think. The Royal Navy used it extensively in building small boats - their steam pinnacles and picket boats were commonly diagonally planked and there is a 42ft launch from a battle cruiser in the small boat shop at their Portsmouth museum that is diagonally planked. In 1960 my father and I built Thistle class sailboat from a moulded hull built from diagonally laminated layers.

 

The diagonal planking should have no effect on fluid flow around the hull, positive or negative. First of all, the hull would have been faired longitudinally and with several coats of paint the effect of the diagonal planking would disappear. Typically, there would be two or more layers of planking laid 90 degrees to each other either glued or with a layer of glued fabric between. This would prevent the seams from opening up as with a longitudinally planked hull. Wooden Thistles with their diagonally planked hulls are fully competitive with their moulded fiberglass sisters.

 

When a boat travels through the water, there is a thin layer of water against the hull moving slowly and parallel to the hull. Outside of this "boundary layer" the water becomes much more disturbed or turbulent. Much of the shear that creates drag is therefore water moving against water. Once the hull is smooth enough that irregularities do not protrude past the thickness of the boundary layer further smoothness is unneccessary. In preparing models for tank testing the University of Michigan hydrodynamics lab painted them with a semi-gloss enamel. The surface of the model was then considered to be hydraulically smooth. The hull of a crack racing yacht would be faired painted and polished to the point that the direction of planking would be immaterial.

 

Roger Pellett

[Julie Mo]

Thank you, Roger!  How interesting.  I am so happy you chimed in.  I learned a lot.

[Julie Mo]

I haven't been able to spend much time on the model lately but the time I did spend gave me pause.  As expected, the planking became even more difficult as I laid the next 4-5 planks.  I inserted two (2) spiles at the bottom of the keel (blue lines in photo below).  Before I went any further, I decided it best I start drawing lines to see where all of this is going.

 

 

I started by drawing parallel lines from the rail to the waterline (RTW).  I want that area to remain at the same angle.  The long lines follow the RTW angle and follow the plank when it is flush to the hull. 

 

The mid-point lines run parallel to the RTW angle.  There is almost a full plank width void after plank #4 and again at plank #12. 

 

The first four (4) lines at the bottom of the keel run parallel to the last plank I laid.  The rest run parallel to the RTW angle.  After plank #8, there is about a 1/3 plank void and about 1/2 plank void after #12.  But there is no room to fit in plank #16.

 

As I reach the rudder, the planks are running almost parallel to the forward edge of the rudder.  I probably need to make that exactly parallel.

 

This is a bit more challenging than expected but I like it.  

[captainbob]

This is a bit more challenging than expected but I like it.  

Julie, you're right. Where's the fun in having things easy?  I know that if there was no challenge, I'd move on to some other hobby. 

 

Bob

[VACorsair]

Julie, your meticulous attention to detail and level of effort you are putting into this build is fascinating to see!  its no wonder that your guitars look so amazing!  I can only dream about how well they play.  Thanks for letting us share your progress!

 

Stan 

[Julie Mo]

How's that saying go, Bob?  If it was easy we'd get our kids to do it. 

 

Stan, thank you for your kind words.  I've always been a perfectionist but it wasn't until I retired that I learned the value of patience.  Once I adopted patience, everything else became easier.

[mikiek]

Julie - in my log post 244 I preach about the use of proportional dividers. They were very helpful in determining the width of each individual plank strake. With the plank bands that you have drawn out you could determine the exact width of the next strake - even if the width varies (wider and thinner) in the same strake.

 

You set the marker for the number of planks left in the band. Using the big end measure the remaining width of the band at known perpendicular intervals. The small end will tell you the strake width at those intervals. So after each measurement you mark your strake edge with the width of that small end measurement.

 

Not as confusing as I have made it sound. It will make your plank shaping more accurate.

[Julie Mo]

One of the things that was frustrating me was getting the plank laid and clamped before the glue set up.  It was getting trickier as the plank length got longer and the bends increased.  Then a light bulb lit in my head.  I remembered a band clamp Rockler now sells and improvised some clamps I have with rubber bands and ty-wraps.

 

The smaller version

 

But I needed larger clamps to get around the keel.

 

I had to make sure the plank didn't slip out of place so I used another clamp that didn't have the rubber band.

I added the small red clamp for a little more pressure at the tip.  This section of the hull has a lot of plywood in it and makes using push pins difficult.  The band clamp solved the problem.

 

[cog]

Julie,

 

You do not need me to build that cabin That's an ingenious solution. Love your build, teaches me quite a few things!

 

Cheers

[Julie Mo]

But Carl, I thought the easiest way to do something was to get someone else to do it.

[Landlocked123]

Great idea on the band clamp Julie.

Edited September 28, 2016 by Landlocked123

[Julie Mo]

I was under the weather today so the house had to wait but I still couldn't get as far on the planking as I wanted.  Too bogged down.  But this is where the impatient me surfaces.  I had to see what she will look like if I just applied a clear finish - mineral spirits applied:

That light stripe on the bow really bothers me.  Hopefully I can tone it down when it comes time to finish the hull.

 

 

OK, I'm done bragging about my kid.

 

I didn't install any splies today.  This is how it turned out in relation to the lines I drew earlier

At the keel and rail, the planks overlap the line.  Midway, it's short.  I will probably have to make another double ended pointer spile before resuming normal planking.  

[captainbob]

If you cut your planks using the method Mike talks about above you will not have any of those double pointed planks to contend with.  Try it you'll like it.

 

Bob

[Julie Mo]

Thank you, Bob.  Sometimes I miss those links.  Seems pretty straightforward.  Now I need to get me one of those awesome proportional dividers.

[dgbot]

They do come in handy. I remember using one when I planked  Carrack for a cousin years ago.  Saved me a lot of grief down the road and my cousin was thrilled.  Question for you. Why didn't you plank the bow? 

David B

[robnbill]

Julie, proportional dividers are a fantastic tool when planking. If you look on eBay you can find some great deals. It is not like there are many parts that go bad. I found an excellent pair for a fraction of the price I would have had to pay for a new pair.

[Julie Mo]

Question for you. Why didn't you plank the bow? 

David B

I guess I seem to have forgotten about it.  Probably because it's not as challenging or fun.

[cog]

I guess I seem to have forgotten about it.  Probably because it's not as challenging or fun.

Yeah, right, as if I should believe that ... you just chickend out ... or "I thought the easiest way to do something was to get someone else to do it." and you didn't find the right person yet

 

I like the diagonal planking you're doing, it gives the hull a whole knew dimension.

 

Cheers

[Julie Mo]

So Carl, does that mean you are coming over to plank the bow? 

 

No, I still haven't touched it.....  HA HA

 

After a lot of house painting today (living room), I dashed into the shop because it was killing me to see how my crazy plan was going to turn out.  I mean, I actually wake in the middle of the night to think about this.  Maybe I need to get a life outside this house!

 

This part of the planking was like asking two teenagers what's the best app for your phone.  At the rail the planking wanted to lay one way.  At the rudder, it needed to go the other way.  Spiles, smiles, twists and turns, I just decided to pin the planking down and hand my fate to Neptune.

After a few full width planks, I started tapering the planks as soon as it reached the top of the keel.  I want the plank adjacent to the rudder to run parallel to it.  This method actually worked well.  I will stick with it until the planks are running parallel to the rudder.

 

I'm not sure if you can see, but the last two planks are about 1/2 width by the time they hit the bottom of the keel.

 

Now I'm going to read a good book...

[cog]

If you get me a ticket ...

 

I don't think it matters, those last planks will be half size once they hit the bottom of the keel. Actually, it looks better than having a (half) stealer and drop plank to correct the angle, and thus the width at the bottom of the keel. Which brings me to the next question (no not about the cabin) Should you have started planking from the back of the keel, or would the angle be wrong to the (minds-) eye ...

[hof00]

Hi Julie,

I have been following your build with interest.

Just awesome woodwork!!

 

Cheers....HOF.

[Julie Mo]

HOF, thanks for the kind words.  It's been a challenge but at the same time a lot of fun.

 

Which brings me to the next question (no not about the cabin) Should you have started planking from the back of the keel, or would the angle be wrong to the (minds-) eye ...

Carl, the ever changing directions the planks want to lay along the length of the hull tell me no matter where I started, a challenge would be waiting for me down the line.  I doubt this could have ever been accomplished in the real world.  None of the sailboats I have seen with angled planking have full keels.  Most have flat bottom hulls with fin keels, a much less complex hull to plank.  

[cog]

Ah well, yet another whome takes the path less travelled by ... and that has made all the difference

[Bill Tuttle]

Julie,

 

Just read this build all the way through.  Great job with a multitude of distractions in the middle of it, moving. a few guitars etc.  I admire your tenacity and look forward to your progress.  I have been working on the same model since the early 80's and have suffered through multiple distractions, building a new workbench, building furniture, new cabinet building for my shop etc.  I am ashamed of myself for not bearing down on the Kate Cory project and letting it go so long.  I am in the running rigging now and realizing if I don't get to work I will not even get this one finished before I expire let alone the scratch built POF I have always been determined to build.  Good luck on this and I look forward to your progress.

[Julie Mo]

Thank you, Bill.  The way I look at it, if working on the model gives one pleasure, when it is finished doesn't matter.  I started this on November and I haven't even finished the planking yet.  But I have really enjoyed my time spent on it.  If I rushed through just to finish, I wouldn't be nearly as satisfied as I am now.

[Julie Mo]

I finished the planking to the rudder.  I needed every bit of spliling that I did on the last few planks to avoid planks breaking off before hitting the bottom of the keel.

 

 

I've fired up the glue pot and we'll see how far I get tonight.  Why is it I seem so busy yet I am supposed to be retired?

[RichardG]

I've fired up the glue pot and we'll see how far I get tonight.  Why is it I seem so busy yet I am supposed to be retired?

 

Because it's fun  . I think that's the definition of a hobby.

 

And look at the results! 

 

Richard.

 

p.s. This hobby has made me want to retire (but still 2 kids to get through school first    ).

[DenPink]

Hi Julie

 

First I have to say what a fantastic build you are doing and very well executed very well done, your building log is a pleasure to look at and read.

 

What is this word you used "Retired" did anyone tell you from the age of 15 years  -  65 years are your apprentice years after 65 you start to work .

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Denis.