First planking on deadwood or not?

[Tangopapa]

I notice two approaches to first layer planking. Most people seem to extend the first layer through the deadwood area at the stern right up to the stern post. This requires tapering the false keel and both layers of planking so as not to get a 7mm wide planking against a 3mm rudder post.

Others stop the first layer and shave those planks off to a very small thickness ot even feather edge when they come to the deadwood. I can see that the second plank layer doesn't need the support of the first layer in that area.

I am building the cutter Lady Nelson. (First build). The deadwood area is not big one way or the other but doing it in the first layer does give me practice doing stealers before the final planking. The first layer is like an apprenticeship on your first ship model. I have learned a lot!

What is the norm? The instructions talk a about filling in with stealers at the stern u derby the heading "First Planking " so I can see what their intention was.

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

The decision to extend the first layer of planks across the the deadwood comes down to two things, since it will be covered with the final layer anyway. first, if you extend the planking, how thick will it be at the rudder post? If too thick, either fair the deadwood or thin the ends of the planking into the deadwood and blend them into the shape. Second, if you decide not to extend the planking, how far should you extend it toward the rudder post? The answer is, long enough to preserve the hull shape such that the hull shape tapers as you approach the rudder post and the keel. You don't want the deadwood-to-planking interface (where the planks end) to show as a sharp line of definition.

 

[Bryian]

Good advice from Kurt. Its the thickness of the tapering to the sternpost thats important.