Planking the hull

Locate 8 1/8" x 3/8" strips and splice them together making 4 strips.  It is recommended that you make a diagonal but joint.  Locate the four 1/8" x 3" balsa planks and glue them together making two long planks.

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Roger's Notes:  Here are some pictures of the finished frame ready for planking. Note the work in the bow area, the reinforcement was needed to remove the warp in the keel piece.  Also, I added 1/4" square balsa stock where I felt the planking splices would be.  The manual states that the joints will be random. 

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Now starts the planking.  Remember to take your time.  I used thick CA and gave me great results.  Locate one of the two 1/8" x 3" planks you glued together.  Using the diagram in the manual, align and glue in place.

         
          
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Roger's Notes:  You need to take note bow on this class of ship.  The hull plates come together at the bow at a crisp sharp edge.  This is an important hull feature.  If you terminate the plank at the bow, you will destroy this feature.

         
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Roger's Notes:  The forward end of the first plank should be trimmed so that it ends on an imaginary plane that extends vertically from the center of the keel.

          
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Roger's Notes:  Take your time, and you will get good results.  Use these planks as a guide and follow the same angle down the bow as you add more planks.