False Keel

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Aug 22, 2017
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Hi All,
I have just started building my Billings Marie Jeanne model. It starts by telling me to put the false keel on to a board with 2x strips for support. Is a false keel just there to support of the ship frame for building or is it glued to the ship frame?. Also the position of the false keel does not match the ship frame with that of the plans. For example the false keel is shown on the plan by rib 7 and tapers to rib 3 but mine starts at 7 and tapers well before rib 3. I am a complete newbie to wooden building so any advise would welcomed.
Cheers,
Roger
 
Hello Roger
Aship has a keel that everything sits upon. A false keel is that piece of woog that actually sits UNDER the keel. On a ship if it hits rocks or a reef, the false keel takes the abuse. It can be replaced so no harm comes to the main keel.
I do not know the ship you are building but a false keel is usually dead straight with out any tapers.
Dave
 
In a model kit the false keel is the single piece that forms the keel, stem and (often) the stern post. It is termed that as it is not assembled the same as a real keel.

All of the frames or bulkheads attach to the false keel.
 
On a real ship Dave is correct but modelers frequently refer to the longitudinal piece of wood that the bulkheads fit into as the false keel. It's sometimes called a "profile former" for obvious reasons

Dave
 
On a real ship Dave is correct but modelers frequently refer to the longitudinal piece of wood that the bulkheads fit into as the false keel. It's sometimes called a "profile former" for obvious reasons

Dave
I agree with Dave. It is confusing here. When you build from a KIT, the false Keel is the centrepiece, to where bulkheads are added. has nothing to do with the correct name of the false keel.in kits, the false keel is of big help, but lacking some adjustment- garboard etc, which is important for the planking. Look at the Planking for the beginner, before you start. then the real keel, transom etc to the false keel. be carefully here, as the in a normal kit is about 4 mm thick, whereas the keel, bow part and transom is about 6 mm: Poul Erik Andersen
 
there are terms in actual ship building that have been adapted to model ship building and got distorted.

a false keel on a real ship is what davef said.

in model building it can refer to the center piece I call a profile piece some call it the false keel

so roger can you post a picture and we will be able to see what you are talking about.
 
@cornish123 The false keel was a timber, forming part of the hull of a wooden sailing ship. ... The false keel was intended to protect the main keel from damage, and also protect the heads of the bolts holding the main keel together.

You are right when we talk about a real ship and top-model building. to that many of us, the False Kee, is the big piece of wood, to where the bulkhead is inserted to make the skeleton - backbone- of the ship for later planking.

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I also want to say something about this topic, I know that old wooden boats in Norway have a false keel called worm beam,
This beam has the function of protecting keel bolts, but more importantly it attracts sea worm
since it is the deepest point the worm attacks first.
Between the fake keel and the main keel there was a thick layer of tar that prevented the worm from walking into the main keel.
It is much easier to replace the false keel then the main keel.
 
I can see why a center profile piece in a kit can be called a false keel because there was no such piece in an actual ship and the piece in the kit is acting like a keel and keelson.

Hi All,
I have just started building my Billings Marie Jeanne model. It starts by telling me to put the false keel on to a board with 2x strips for support. Is a false keel just there to support of the ship frame for building or is it glued to the ship frame?

it is not just for supporting the bulkheads it is actually part of the structure so the bulkheads are glued to the false keel or profile piece


. Also the position of the false keel does not match the ship frame with that of the plans. For example the false keel is shown on the plan by rib 7 and tapers to rib 3 but mine starts at 7 and tapers well before rib 3. I am a complete newbie to wooden building so any advise would welcomed.

this is quite don't understand without seeing the drawing or photo
 
You will need to glue the frames to the keel, make sure they are square, otherwise the hull might be deformed.

Have a look at my build log, it may be of some help: BB Marie Jeanne

Better still, why don't you start your own build log, will be interesting to compare notes along the way.

PS - Oops, just saw the original post dates from September 2017, guess i'm a bit late to the party :)
 
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On a real ship Dave is correct but modelers frequently refer to the longitudinal piece of wood that the bulkheads fit into as the false keel. It's sometimes called a "profile former" for obvious reasons

Dave
YOU ARE CORRECT.Se my notes above. There is or has been too many Cooks here, who are NOT building from KIT. Who first maned that Central piece, to where to add your Bulkheads "FALSE KEEL " is not known. Only the more professional will know the Real False Keel, but for kit builders like me, it is only to confuse. The Instruction Manual for this Model and most of them are wrong. they first add the bulkheads to this so-called false keel, This done, immediately add the Deck- I suppose for holding the bulkhead square. Then Planking without taking into account the width of each plank. done that the real keel, sternpost and bow parts is added. All immAll a disaster from the supplier- see a little upwards.
 
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