HELP! waterline cut boat.

[Tecko]

Hello members. I need advice about planking, and about cutting and putting in a base for a wooden kit boat.

 

This is my first model boat and I am altering it so as to appear to be in water for a diorama. Hoping you can give me advice, beside throwing it in the bin. 

 

1) First of all the planking given in the kit is straight 1 x 3 x 250 mm strips. The top rail is 1 x 10 x 250 mm, and I cannot put this one in because the deck is curved, and so too are the tops of the bulkheads. I am assuming the 1 x 3 x 250 will bend, but not the 10 mm strip. What to do?

 

2) picture [3] roughly shows where the waterline could be. The actual picture shows how to lay in the planking. All instructions are in Chinese, so I am guessing here. However, I want to cut the bottom off [4], where the supposed water line is. I know how to draw a waterline, but I was thinking of using the planking as a guide. To cut the spine and bulkheads do I use a fret saw to do this, then use a flat sheet of sandpaper to rub the bottom of the boat on?

 

3) How do I add a base plate as in [5]. Do I first cut a template out, glue the boat onto it and then shape the base to follow the curved planking, as if the base was another plank? I am just thinking it out as I am writing.

 

[Tecko]

Just been viewing great information about planking from the administrator Dan Vadas in the link at bottom of this post. So it looks like I will be reshaping the planks to fit.

 

The base plate, I guess, will have to be done as I suggested, unless somebody else has a better idea.

 

In regards to what this boat is for

 

My real problem then is how to fit an aluminium vane through the base plate and any bulkheads that get in the way. Thinking allowed, is see myself cutting slots into the aluminium plate for a snug fit. Somehow I will need to secure the plate to the base firmly.

Here is a sketch of what I have in mind (without showing boat framework).