Camber in cabin roof or no?

[SGraham]

I'm ready to build the cabin on my Corel Shenandoah kit. The plans show the cabin with a completely flat roof. What I mean is there is no camber whatsoever going crosswise on the cabin top. It seems odd, like there ought to be some camber to shed water, but maybe the fore and aft tilt of the roof would take care of that. Have any of you built a flat cabin roof? Just curious. If it's wrong, I don't want it sticking out like a sore thumb, or flat rooftop. Thanks!

 

Steve

[mtaylor]

Steve,

 

No camber, but it is slanted from the doors to the rear.  Or maybe it's the front, since it depends on which way the doors face.  Water will run off the slant.

[SGraham]

Thanks Mark. I guess the camber would be overkill.

[shoule]

 Steve, this probably doesn't help but I recently asked myself the same question and thought it just wouldn't look right, to me. It would have been a streight line surrounded by curves, in this case.

 I decided to build it as if I was in charge and crowned the roof, slightly, in addition to the bevel, and added side boards to channel the water and act as hand holds (which always come in handy). Authentic, who knows; practical and pleasing, a little bit.

 I'm sure what ever you do, you will make it work.

[catopower]

Hi Steve,

 

Camber would not be overkill as some companionway hatches certainly had it. I don't think it really serves a purpose though because the slant of the roof sheds all the water.

 

It may be more for looks. I've built a couple models with cambered companionways, but they were either yachts or yacht-like. Both were 1850 era schooners. I think it depends on the shipwright. If your plans are accurate and call for no camber, then that's the way you ought to build it. If you suspect the plans and feel the companion way roofs should have camber, then by all means build them with camber.

 

The attached photos show the companionway roofs on my models.

 

 

These were 1850 era American yacht and pilot boat. Is Shenandoah American built? Or was she built overseas? If American built it would certainly be possible that the companionway roofs had camber. If she was foreign built, that's another matter and I don't know much about that. If so, then perhaps the straight roof makes more sense.

 

Clare

Edited July 29, 2014 by catopower

[SGraham]

Thanks Shoule. I'm curious. Did you build the Shenandoah? If not, what ship did you alter the cabin top on? I'd love to see a photo.

 

Clare, thanks for the reply. Beautiful, beautiful work, by the way, and thanks for the photos. Yes, that's what I'm more used to seeing. I don't think the Corel plans are for a specific craft. They are more for a type of trading cutter that was used in the southern states in the mid 19th-century. They are selling it as a Confederate craft that supplied blockade runners. I'm sure the Confederates used whatever was handy. I'm not sure that the trading craft that supplied blockade runners would bother to arm themselves with four swivel guns either. I think Corel added them for the "coolness" factor. I'm not sure of the lifespan of working craft in the South at that time, but it's not inconceivable there could have been cutters of an 1850 vintage running around. All of that is to say that the plans aren't "accurate" as far as faithfully replicating any specific craft goes. I think they're based off of a photograph taken in a shipyard at the time. I've yet to find that photo. I could put camber in the cabin roof and not offend any purists, I think.

 

Steve

[Chuck Seiler]

The companionway hatch on the Star of India (1863-Ilse of Mann) is cambered.  I am not sure why they are sloped...probably more to do with reducing sail area (and I am not entirely sure that is valid) than for water run off, but the end away from the opening can be lower because at that point, the person would be further down the ladder and had no need for more headroom.

[SGraham]

Thanks Chuck. What about the roof of the cabin, if the Star has a cabin that rises above deck level?

 

Steve

[Chuck Seiler]

It does, but with a slighter curve.  The companionway leads from the main deck down to the 'tween deck area.  It is about 5 feet wide and 10 feet long.  The aft 'cabin' is basically the poopdeck, which houses the officer's quarters and dining area.   I only found one photo I had which was even close to depicting them, and it wasn't all that good.  I will see if I have others.

[SGraham]

Thanks Chuck.

[shoule]

Steve, no, I didn't build the Shenandoah; not yet, anyway. I'm just getting into the craft. This is just the companionway from a mostly scratch Virginia schooner. I'm building off the picture of the Virginia 1819, but wanted to build it from materials that I picked up off the ground around the boat yard, here at work. All of the wood, here, came from scraps, pallets, and such.

 I'm not too concerned with much, at this point, but learning to work in scale and trying different techniques. Give me a couple projects like this and I will try my hand at something with more historical reference and accuracy. Right now, I'm just a carpenter having fun.

 

Steve

 

[SGraham]

Holy cow, Steve, that's beautiful! The boards making up the door in the companionway drop in a slot, right? Those barrels are incredible. So you're a carpenter in a boatyard? I guess that would be a great place to pick up scraps. Do you have a build log for this vessel? If not, I'd really encourage you to do so. That would give a lot of people a chance to watch your work take shape. Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

Steve

[shoule]

 Thanks Steve, gosh. Yeah, the companionway works and the barrels are actually barrels (and you were worried about overkill).

 These are older pictures, the parts weren't finished yet. I started this project before I found MSW. I was just stumbling around without a plan, so I didn't start a build log. I start the rigging, soon and will post it to the gallery.

 Yes, I love scraps. My work will never wind up in a museum unless it lasts long enough to be archeology.

 I look forward to following your project.

 

 S

[SGraham]

I'm a confirmed trash picker myself when it comes to wood scraps. I've built some fun musical instruments from discarded furniture, pianos, etc. I'm looking forward to seeing your boat in the gallery.

 

Steve