Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => Other Technical Questions... => Topic started by: sinjon on July 20, 2009, 12:05:13 pm

Title: Length of a deck plank.
Post by: sinjon on July 20, 2009, 12:05:13 pm

I have just started a building a Billings Jylland (now out of production) it is a naval frigate launched in 1860.
Does anyone have a clue what length a deck plank might have been at that time. The scale seems to be about 1:100, so either a full size measurement, or a scale one. Near enough is good enough, this is not going to be museum piece.

Thanks
Colin

Title: Re: Length of a deck plank.
Post by: RickF on July 20, 2009, 12:14:25 pm

According to an article in "Model Shipwright Anthology", the decks of wooden warships were made of deal(fir) or oak or a combination of both. English oak planks were seldom longer than 24 feet. Danzig oak was obtainable in 30-50 feet lengths and deals were usually 36 to 40 feet long.

Hope this helps.

Rick

Title: Re: Length of a deck plank.
Post by: MikeK on July 20, 2009, 12:31:03 pm

If you have got a spare hour or two, I found this via Google. It seems to be a blow by blow account of building the real thing. Unfortunately by page 13 my eyes were glazing over and still no mention of deck plank lengths except for "as long as possible" may be it is mentioned in the remaining 24 pages - I'll never know !  %%
www.ships-preservation.com/admin/docs/47.1.doc

Mike

Title: Re: Length of a deck plank.
Post by: sinjon on July 20, 2009, 01:43:28 pm

Thanks Rick, I will go with 24ft.
Mike - I couldn't see any thing about plank length either, but I did find the answer to a query I had posted else where.
Copper plate size below the waterline, it turns out to be 48'' x 13.5''.

Thanks
Colin

Title: Re: Length of a deck plank.
Post by: MikeK on July 20, 2009, 03:10:28 pm

Glad something was of use then

regards

Mike