Yacht Mary Build (HELP)

Joined
Feb 19, 2023
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I would like to introduce myself to the group and get some help if possible on my current build. I have been a modeler for years and have a great deal of experience with plastic armor, airplanes, jets and ships. Assembly, painting, rigging and dealing with minute photo etch has not been a problem for me. I have also assembled a 35" wood RC ship and finished a solid hull model of the Fair American.

I have never planked a ship and have run into a brick wall with my current build of the Yacht Mary. To be fair, Mamoli has horrible planking instructions which have already caused an issue with the first plank I put on. It stated that the first plank was at deck level when it should have been at the top of the forward bulkheads. I can deal with this but there is no instruction of the garboard planks and how they should lay. I have seen builds on this site and pictures showing a full width plank starting at the bow and going aft. That is where I am totally lost. All prior build pictures I have seen do not show any of the first planking on the keel. I am bowing to anyone who can help to direct where my planks should go because the plank the way that I have it will need to do a 90 degree twist around the rear bulkheads which just doesn't seem right.

I have looked at numerous planking videos but they don't seem to have a flat bottom near the keel Please take pity on my attempts and offer what ever help you can. The funny thing is that I first bought the Constructo Halifax and then bought the Yacht Mary as my practice ship. That did not go as planned. I am looking for constructive help. SOS

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Hello there and thank you for your question. Your bow end looks fine to me and on mine I put the stern end a parallel distance along the false keel right along to the end of the stern where the rudder will eventually go. Quite a bit of twisting but it is possible with a well soaked strake. I hate garboard strakes and always find them a pain. I'm not sure if that answers your question, if not try me again!!

I should add perhaps that at the stern end that strake should lay flat against the keel.
I did do quite a lot of strake tapering at the stern as it started to curve upwards but, if I can do it anybody can because I'm pretty useless at planking!!
 
Hello there and thank you for your question. Your bow end looks fine to me and on mine I put the stern end a parallel distance along the false keel right along to the end of the stern where the rudder will eventually go. Quite a bit of twisting but it is possible with a well soaked strake. I hate garboard strakes and always find them a pain. I'm not sure if that answers your question, if not try me again!!

I should add perhaps that at the stern end that strake should lay flat against the keel.
I did do quite a lot of strake tapering at the stern as it started to curve upwards but, if I can do it anybody can because I'm pretty useless at planking!!
Hi Mike
Thanks again for the answer. To put a bit more of a point on your direction please look at the 2 photos. Would you taper and bend the strake as in the on pic called upcurve strake or shoot the plank straight to the end of the false keel as in the pic called straight path? The issue with the upcurve is what I do to cover the part of the bulkhead that has the weird curve as it hits the keel. I am sorry to bother you but I am excited to continue this build. I may ask a bit more help when i am ready for the second planking. Thanks

Bob

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first of all also from my side a warm welcome here on board of our forum.
At the bow you faired the bulkheads - this should be also done at the stern area - this will make some parts of the planking at this area easier

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Take also a look at the attached very helpful manual
 

Attachments

  • plankingprojectbeginners.pdf
    1.9 MB · Views: 28
I hadn't realised that you have not faired your bulkheads at the stern. You will have to or you will finish up with a very strange shape. As for the garboard, your first photo is the better of the two but get that strake even lower at the stern parallel to the keel. You are getting good advise from folk much better at planking than I.
 
first of all also from my side a warm welcome here on board of our forum.
At the bow you faired the bulkheads - this should be also done at the stern area - this will make some parts of the planking at this area easier

View attachment 362128

View attachment 362129 View attachment 362130

Take also a look at the attached very helpful manual
Thanks for the reply. You are spot on about my lack of fairing the stern bulkheads. I was afraid to do that initially but now see that it will be a big help. I will go through the attachment you sent which should help a lot. Thanks again for your kind reply
 
I hadn't realised that you have not faired your bulkheads at the stern. You will have to or you will finish up with a very strange shape. As for the garboard, your first photo is the better of the two but get that strake even lower at the stern parallel to the keel. You are getting good advise from folk much better at planking than I.
 
Mike your reply is exactly what I need to move on Thanks to you and the other members for sharing your expertise with me
 
I have been working hard on the Yacht Mary and have just a small plank to add to finish my first planking. I discovered a mistake/kit error which is going to affect my transom work. As you can see in the picture I have a gap off to the starboard side. I have another picture where i have my suggested solution to the issue which is putting 2 pieces of planking in the gap which would be shaped to fit. Any suggestions from the group before I commit to that would be greatly appreciated. Remember that this is my first planked ship and I have found out the hard way what to look for prior to final setting of the bulkheads. Enjoy!

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One question makes a big difference in how to answer questions on filling last gap in planking.

Are you going to add second layer of planking, or paint the hull when done?

This allows for covering of imperfections in first layer of the hull.

If not adding a second layer, or no painting and the one layer is final, they some extra care to get a better "lay of the plank" may be needed to get more accurate finish when all is done.

How we do things on a scale model are much different than what would have been done on a real ship, and we must often compromise to get a easy, but good looking plank job done.
 
It looks from your pictures that the transom piece need to sit a little further in. I don't remember a difficult space when I did mine. I have just had a look at it and, because there is so much ornamentation to go there I can't see what if anything I did. I have to say that the metal parts did not fit very well on mine but they will hide a lot?
 
I am going for a second planking layer and will paint the ship bottom white. Unfortunately the transom is glued tight and I am afraid to move it. As you can see, I moved the walnut piece once and it cracked prior to freeing. Should I try to reposition the transom or do you think filling the gap may work?
 
EWWW !!!! He has planes in the cabinet in the background !!!!

ROFL Just kidding. I don't know the kit you are making, so I don't know if there is a solid piece or more planking that is installed above your current planking at the stern. Check ahead in the instructions/plans to see. Also, I don't know what glue you used to install the aft bulkhead. If you want to remove and reinstall it, and you used CA glue, they do make a de-bonder for CA. If you used a PVA glue, you can use heat (soldering iron) to apply heat to specific locations to remove it. The heat from the iron may discolor the wood some.
Hope that helps!

Jeff
 
Corsair you’re killing me. There are wooden ships, armor dioramas, airplanes, jets and naval ships in Bob’s playroom. Loved your comment! The ship I am making is the Mamoli yacht Mary, There is a layer of planking that goes over the transom. I think that repositioning the transom may help but it appears to be off like some of the bulkheads were. I love your trick of heating the PVA which is what I used. The question is should I try to reposition it knowing that it will help but may not fully fix the issue. Let me know what you think. See attached pics. I threw one special shot just for you. Thanks

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OK, I have taken the whole stern section apart and reglued it. It was a pain but definitely worth doing, Corsair thanks for the heating tip for PVA. I have finished my first planking and filled gaps with a glazing compound. After an aggressive sanding, I am ready to start the stern poop deck planking. Note that the first picture is of my 200 pound grill which blew off my porch from strong North Carolina winds. Great way to start the day. Thanks to all of you who commented and helped me.

Bob

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Hey Bob, I was very glad I could help you ! I can't take full credit for that idea. I heard our favorite ship building lady, Olah mention she used almost all PVA glue so she can do just what you needed to do.
All of your builds of all types look great ! I have also built a lot of plastic kits of all types. :)
Sorry I'm not closer or I'd be glad to come over and help you get that grill back where it belongs. Maybe you should tether it to the wall to prevent this from happening again?
Jeff
 
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