Actual Ship's Keel Question

[acaron41120]

When reading the instructions in the planking tutorial the components are the stem, stemson, keel, keelson, deadwood and stern post. But the Keel is one peace which makes me wonder if the actual shipwrights keel was one piece. I don't think so but that's how most kits are manufactured. (I don't know about scratch builders keels.) So were the actual ships built with a multi piece/section Keel or a single piece keel. Just wanting to learn more about this great hobby.

[Gregory]

There would have been any number of pieces.   Mainly for strength, and also because it was not always desirable to obtain one dimensioned piece from a single piece of timber.

 

Here is a little snip from Chuck's cheerful.  Note the two long pieces of the keel have an overlapping( there is a technical term for that, but escapes me at the moment)  joint.

 

 

That joint ( scarf ) might have looked something like this on other ships/boats.

 

One way to add more detail to a kit, is by scribing lines on the pieces provided in the kit.

Edited September 26, 2024 by Gregory

[acaron41120]

Thanks Gregory for the education.  Not quite ready to scratch build yet but slowly moving in that direction.

[Gregory]

I'm sure you noted the idea about scribing some joint lines on your kit parts, but just in case, I'll mention it again.