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A primer on planking
by David Antscherl

Here is a short photo-essay on planking a not a fully framed model, as it is to be fully

ship’s hull. The photographs in this article planked except for one small ‘window’ on
are of a model of Resolution of 1772: one the port side (see page 6). The principles of
of Captain Cook’s ships for his second and planking a hull are the same, regardless of
third voyages. The scale of the model is the framing scheme. It is, however, much
1:48. You will notice that this is easier to plank a fully framed surface.

The first stage in planking is the process of by using black thread held in place by dabs
1 lining out. In full size practice this consists of dilute white glue.
of dividing the hull into bands of roughly
equal widths using wooden battens. In In the photograph (below left) the main wale
model work the use of battens is often was planked first, defining the upper limit
recommended. However, I find that I can of the lower hull planking. Here the lower
visualise a smooth run much more easily hull has been divided off into four bands.
Each band will consist (in this case) of five
strakes of planking.

I divide the girth off into four equal bands

by means of paper tick strips. This gives me
an approximate ‘run’ of the planking. The
next step is to adjust the threads until the
curves of the run look right when viewed
from a number of different angles.

In the case of this particular hull, which

is very bluff-bowed, I will work two drop
strakes far forward, just under the main
wale. Aft, if properly arranged, there will be
no need for any steelers. Most hulls require
perhaps one drop strake forward and one
aft. A drop strake is where two strakes of
planking reduce to one, or three to two.
All material ©2006, 2008 David Antscherl
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Here is another view of the hull during lin-

ing out. Some minor adjustments still need
to be carried out to the threads at the bow.
No strake should narrow to more than half
its maximum width at the bow rabbet. The
uppermost band is where the drop strakes
will be worked. This avoids the problem of
over-narrow hooding ends.
A steeler (also spelled stealer) is the oppo-
site principle: here one strake is worked to
become two, or two strakes widen to three.
The use of steelers aft can often be avoided
by careful planning.

Note the uppermost strake under the aft

end of the main wale (previous page). You
will need to add a small piece of plank or
two to fill the trangular gap under the outer
corner of the wing transom. These pieces
The photo above shows the first two bands
will run parallel to the lower hull planking.
of planking in place. There are ten strakes
in total, completed and treenailed. The
point of this photo is to show the forward
end of the first strake, the garboard strake. It
should not be carried high up the bow rab-
bet: a common beginners’ error.
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If the garboard is carried up too high, the The resulting line along the card will give
remainder of the hooding ends of the planks the mating edge of the new plank.
(the ends that fit into the rabbet) will be
crowded together and be too narrow, or too
many drop strakes will be required forward
to compensate.

By now you will realise that virtually all

the planking will need to be cut to shape,
as you cannot edge set a plank. Edge setting
means bending the plank sideways across
its width. If you try to do this, one edge of Lay the card strip flat on a cutting surface
the plank will lift off the frame and be im- and cut along the pencil line with a very
possible to attach. To avoid this happening sharp blade. You can do this free-hand, or
each plank needs its own pattern. The fol- - very carefully! - use an appropriate ships’
lowing sequence shows the steps in spiling curve as a guide.
2 off : the process of finding its shape.

You can now use the card pattern to trans-

fer the shape of the edge of the new plank
to a thicknessed piece of wood stock (lower
First tape a strip of stiff card along the pre-
part of photo above). This accurately defines
vious strake. I use a lockable compass (at
one edge of the new plank.
left) with the point reversed in one leg and
a carefully sharpened hard lead in the other.
The next step is to find the width of this
Set the compass to a suitable opening and
plank at different points along its length.
run the reversed point along the edge of
the strake. Don’t twist the compass as you
run it along.
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Take a new tick strip and place it as shown Using the marked strip, you can transfer the
above. Mark the distance from the previ- width of the new plank at that point to the
ous strake to the thread of the planking blank that you are marking out, as pictured
band that you are working on. Now place below. Repeat for as many points along the
this strip on a piece of paper with equally plank as you need.
spaced radiating lines (below). In the exam-
ple pictured here the first strake of five in
that band is complete, therefore the re-
maining space will be occupied by four more
strakes. Slide the tick strip until its end and
your mark align with four spaces, then mark
them off as shown here.

The points may now be joined up using

a flexible or ships’ curve to complete the
shape of the plank ready to cut out (below).

Replace the strip on the frame, and you can

see how the four strakes yet to be hung will
fill the planking band (top of next column).
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Here are two identical planks. The lower

3 one has been carefully steamed to shape.
One can bend a plank in two planes, but Here the strake has been completed. Once
not three. Note that the fitted edge is cut all planks in a strake are attached, their
out close to the marked line, but the “far” widths are re-marked at intervals and a
side has been cut 1/32” full (actual, not scale sanding stick used to reduce the strake to
measurement) to allow for adjustment. its final width. Sighting along the plank-
ing from bow and stern will show up any
“waviness” which can be eliminated before
proceeding with the next strake.

In this photograph the plank has had its fit-

ted edge refined with a sandpaper stick, and
the hooding end trimmed. It has been glued
in place. Properly carried out, there is no
stress on the plank and no clamping should
be necessary. Note a small piece of offcut This view aft shows the strakes as they
plank that has been glued under the aft end widen. With careful planning, no steelers
to support the joint with the next plank in will be required. The widest point of the
this strake, as the butt falls between frames. garboard strake is a scale 17”. The lowest
In a fully framed model this is unnecessary. five strakes have been treenailed in all the
positions that framing would have run in
the actual ship.
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An early stage in planking. The garboard and Another view at a later stage of planking. The
four strakes making up the first band of plank- holes in the keel are for the pedestal bolts.
ing have been completed.

Forward part of a planking expansion. This is a 38-gun frigate of 1808,

after David White from an Admiralty draught. No scale specified. Note
that there are no drop strakes, and that six strakes under the main wale
are top and butt.

All material © David Antscherl, 2004, 2008

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A planking glossary
B
Band, of planking: an arbitrary division of the surface to be planked into sections
Battens: see planking battens
Bearding line: the line along which the thinning of a piece of wood begins
Bearding: a gradual diminishing of a piece of wood in thickness
Bevel: to angle the edge of a plank to closely fit its neighbor
Bilge: the part of the ship’s floor that the ship would rest on if beached
Board: wood of less than 1” in thickness (also see plank and thickstuff )
Butt: the end joint between any two planks in a strake
Buttock: the aft part of the ship’s body, aft of the cant frames
C
Caulking hammer: specialized tool for forcing oakum into seams, 1:1 scale
Caulking: material forced into plank seams to make the joints watertight, 1: 1 scale
Copenhagen curves: see ships’ curves
D
Doubling: a second layer of planking, usually used to give extra stability to a ship
Drop strake: the reduction of three strakes to two, or two to one, where the hull narrows
E
Edge setting: attempting to bend a plank edgewise. Not recommended!
F
Flexible curve: an economic alternative to ships’ curves
French curves: similar to ships’ curves, but smaller and of limited use in planking
G
Garboard strake: the strake lying adjacent to the keel in the keel rabbet
H
Highway drafting curves: drafting curves of regular radii. Only useful for deck beams
Hooding end: the end of a plank that fits into the stem or stern rabbet
Hoods: the foremost and aftermost planks in a strake (q.v.)
L
Lining out: the process of marking out the run of the planking
O
Oakum: old rope that has been broken down for use as caulking material, 1:1 scale
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P
Plank stock: wood cut to planking thickness, but much wider than an individual plank
Plank: wood sawed to between 1” and 4” in thickness (also see board and thickstuff )
Planking battens: used to mark the hull into planking bands. Easier to use at 1:1 scale
Planking expansion: a projection drawing of the hull ‘flattened out’
Planking threads: a suitable substitute for planking battens on models
Proportional dividers: a device for dividing a given space into equal parts
R
Rabbet: a rebate or groove, generally triangular, in the keel and stem
Radiating line diagram: an inexpensive alternative to proportional dividers
S
Seam: the joint between two adjacent strakes of planking
Ships’ curves: a set of drafting curves with varying shapes
Sny: sideways curve, convex uppermost, of planks in order for them to fit properly
Spiling (spiling off): the process of finding the shape of a plank edge
Stealer (steeler): a partial strake added where the hull form expands, reducing sny (q.v.)
Strake: a row of planks
T
Thickstuff: planking from 4” to 12” in thickness (see plank and board)
Tic strip: involuntary twitching while undressing. Nothing to do with planking
Tick strip: a narrow strip of paper used for marking out
W
Winding: twisted or curved, term applied to a timber. Out of winding means square or straight