Thanks for your thoughts regarding your planking options Chris - it has certainly helped as I consider the options - including just painting the deck!
One of the lower hull skins was fitted last night and I want to fit the other side today so I can get the drive train aligned and fitted before cutting the side skins.
I tend to take a lot of time aligning the shaft, rigid alignment coupling and motor mount, but once it is all sorted I can make some side skin templates (I am already looking for suitable thin card boxes!) before making the deck templates, and these will need some more thin cardboard boxes
.
Part of me just wants to get this boat built and in the water as I have not run a Swordsman for well over 50 years (!) ........and a painted deck would certainly help speed things up !
However, the opportunity to learn a new skill and plank the deck certainly appeals to me, but I may make another Swordsman to make good use of all those nice individually decorated templates that I have made as they will remind me of all the cereals, teas, biscuits etc that have been eaten - and I could plank that one..............
Lots to think about (as always) including where to buy suitable thin woods for the deck planking. I even considered making the planking out of thin plywood that I could strip on the bandsaw and colour it with the stains I have just acquired, but I think thin strip wood would bend easier and would certainly save a lot of time!
Bob.