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Determining width of hull planks

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Sep 1, 2021
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How do you determine how wide a plank is at each frame? Is there a way other than using proportional dividers?
 
The video is a great tool. Also, the attached paper by David Antscherl will help. There was a post here at SoS not too long ago on making tick strips, maybe you can find it with a search. If nothing else take a string and lay it along a frame at the dead flat from the rabbet to the top of the top timber. Then straighten and measure the total length. Assuming planks are about 10-11 inches broad, divide the number of strakes needed. This number of strakes will be the same from stem to post barring the need of a drop strake or stealer. Then it is just a matter of dividing the frames every few stations by that number of strakes to make the tick strips. There is no need to make one for every frame but too many is better than not enough.
Allan
 

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I find that dividing the hull into planking bands of about 4 planks each works well. Starting at the deck or wale, measure the perimeter of the widest bulkhead down to the keel. If your plank width is say 4mm, mark down the bulkhead in increments of 16 mm. Lay a flexible tick strip through the first mark into a fair curve from bow to stern and mark where it crosses each bulkhead. Check to make sure at the bow the planks will not have to taper to less the 50% of the width. Repeat this process down the hull. For each planking band, measure the perimeter between marks on the bulkheads, divide by four and taper the planks accordingly. Planking should be pre-bent to shape for the best results. I wet the planks and bend them over the barrel of a soldering iron. Planking above deck normally goes very easily since little to no plank taper is usually required.
 
Planking should be pre-bent to shape for the best results. I wet the planks and bend them over the barrel of a soldering iron.
Do you do this just for bending with the breadth or also for edge bending so there is no lift to the planks on the hull?
Allan
 
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