Cutting a Garboard Plank

[Dr PS - Paul Schulze]

I am going to start building the relatively new Model Shipways 18th Century Armed Long Boat 1/24th Scale.  This will be the first planking I have ever done.  I have read many logs of the earlier MS 18th Century Armed Long Boat builders in preparation for this adventure.  I have also being studying the various articles on planking.  I have a very specific question concerning the garboard shaping on the Armed Long Boat.  It involves a specific step in the instruction manual.  

 

The particular step is as follows:  "Now start planking at the Keel by cutting an angle from the dry end corner 1-3/4” down to the opposite side of the plank. Then at the center of the line add a 1/16” mark and then draw an arcing curve from the center point to the ends of the angled line. Now cut the curve." 

 

For sure, is the 1-3/4" along the diagonal or the base?  It reads like it is along the diagonal but I want to make sure.  Also, I am unclear as how to draw the arcing curve to be cut.  Where is the focus of the curve?  As it reads, how would you draw a smooth curve through thee points which lay in a straight line?  Also, I assume the 1/16" mark is just that, a mark indicating the center of the line. if not then what?  I hope those of you with building experience can explain this instruction.

 

I might be making this more complicated than it is.  Instead, is there a simple way to do this?  In advance, I really appreciate this site and its bounty of resources and help.  Its members are the best.

 

Paul Schulze

[Dr PS - Paul Schulze]

I think maybe I might have it. After looking at logs and studying the shapes of garboards, I think this quick sketch might show what the instructions are trying to say. The striped area would be cut away. Does this seem reasonable?

 

The plank is 1/4 inch wide.

 

Do most builders just make the shape of the garboard by looks so that it has a smooth flow into the keel or what?

Edited March 15, 2019 by Dr PS

[druxey]

Take a look at the instructional files included on on this site, such as 'A primer on planking'. Look at the top of the column on this section and click. These should answer all your planking questions!

[No Idea]

15 minutes ago, druxey said:

Dear 'No idea': you are quite correct about the garboard ending low on the bow. Go to the top of this section 'Building, Framing, Planking and Plating a Ship's Hull and Deck'  and you will see two 'pinned' articles on planking. They are 'Planking Tutorials' and 'A Primer on Planking'. Enjoy.

Hi druxey - I can't help but feel that the garboard plank gives new builders more issues than any other plank.  I've read so many descriptions of this plank that it even confuses me.  I think we need to come up with a more simple description of it.  Yes its generally wider, yes it can go through a 90 degree twist at the stern and yes it needs to be parallel to the keel.  But its still a plank that needs to be made just like all of the others.  There are more clever builders on here than me that could attempt to resolve this issue in plain language.  

[Gregory]

I don't know if this will need further explanation, however when I lay out the garboard ( and other planks as well ) I place a piece of masking tape along the keel, from the stern to the bow.  For most of the run, the edge will follow the keel.  Where it meets the curve of the bow, I mark it with a pen, then use this as a guide for cutting the plank.

 

 

Of course, the plank can be tapered and meet the keel further back,.  The final shape is up to the builder and the desired result.

[Dr PS - Paul Schulze]

The garboard on my model does not meet the bow but is supposed to terminate three bulkheads short. It then appears to curve outward from the keel towards the stern. Would using masking tape work here or is there a better way?

 

 It looks like the curvature (near the center of the curve) of the cut generally points towards the stern  in all cases. However, in your case, the curvature points below the keel. In my case, the curvature points above the keel. So if you move from your case to my situation on different models , it looks like the curvature will move from somewhere below the keel to somewhere above the keel. Does this sound reasonable?

 

Note:  Curvature points along a radius away from the curve. 

Edited March 17, 2019 by Dr PS

[Gregory]

Short of the bow, I belive you are correct that the curve would be toward the stern.  My example is not the best..

 

Chuck's Medway Longboat is a very good example of how it should look.

 

[Dr PS - Paul Schulze]

17 minutes ago, Gregory said:

Short of the bow, I belive you are correct that the curve would be toward the stern.  My example is not the best..

 

Chuck's Medway Longboat is a very good example of how it should look.

 

Gregory, referring to the above photo, is the next plank to the garboard a straight plank which is cut angled at the end and bent into place?  I am asking this as it seems this will have something to do with how I cut my garboard which is very much like the one shown here.

[Gregory]

It could be accomplished with a straight plank and bending, but would be more challenging..

 

What you see is the result of spiling...  laid out flat it would look more like this example..

 

 

Found in this article, mentioned earlier..  SIMPLE HULL PLANKING TECHNIQUES FOR BEGINNERS

 

You might achieve the same result with some bending techniques involving soaking, clamping and heating..

Edited March 17, 2019 by Gregory

[Dr PS - Paul Schulze]

Thanks Gregory. This is starting to make sense.