Drop Planks question

[Erlo]

Good day All,
Just a quick question regarding the use of drop planks at the bow.
Would it be correct to use a drop plank with every two strakes as shown in the diagram?
This pattern will be repeated in every band (3 of them) going down the hull.
Or would there be a better way to do this?

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

it is a balance between the amount of drop planks used and the tapering of planking. What you are showing is acceptable. Try to keep the drop planks at a minimum by tapering planks but don't taper plank to a narrow point.
it starts with lining off the hull and figuring the tapper of planks in each section



where the 4th section from the bottom gets too narrow at the bow then a drop plank is used



the trick in a planked hull is keeping the run of the planking at a nice sweep to the bow, sometimes you just can not avoid using a drop plank or more than one..

 

[AllanKP69]

Years ago I read that on a new ship the Admiralty allowed up to two drop strakes per side if necessary. Others could be added in circumstances of damage repairs. Looking at photos of contemporary models and planking expansion drawings I cannot find any with more than one or two used on each side of the hull in total. An example of drop strakes can be seen below. Goodwin mentions in The Construction and Fitting of the English Man of War that stealers or drop strakes could be used at the bow. The arrow shape always pointed towards the bow when used aft. I THINK that would also be the case at the bow.
Allan


Stealer (or steeler)

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

drop planks or stealers were not generally a standard part of hull planking they were used as a last resort.
here is a stealer the darker section. Notice it is incorporated into the run of the planking.

 

[Erlo]

Thank you for the feedback Dave and Allan, the ship is the Caracca Atlantica originally sold as a kit by Mamoli, unfortunately I purchased 7mm wide wood strips instead of 5mm (Lime for first planking and Walnut for second) so i will need to use quite a few drop planks since the strakes will taper down to less than 3mm.