So I have finally got my plans, and the package which held the plans was slightly ripped, but thankfully not the plans! Just a little crumpled. I started working on tracing out the ribs, and got the full front and full back done so far. I’m thinking of having a 1/4th inch ribs, and 11 ribs according to the plans. Tomorrow I’ll start tracing the ribs individually and work out some more details about the water channel, and keel. PS: It may look crooked, but that’s a combination of the folded paper and the angle I took the photo. I made sure to measure it out.
If those are Weswissier (sp) plans, make sure you check the hull station depth with the profile depth of the hull. I had a set of plans for an Italian heavy cruiser and there was a .375 difference between the hull stations and the profile/plan view. There are some references out there that are very good. Especially for this ship
Update: I am very stumped as to how I should build the water channel, and general shape of the ribs. What I think is going to work is placing the water channel from Rib D to Rib H, highlighted with the red circles, and having it 1.5 inches wide. Rib F is shown with the indent where the water channel will be. Any suggestions or tips would be greatly appreciated!
If you take the entire flat keel area and basically build what we call a box keel it will be a lot easier than trying to raise it up into the ribs. Basically from the front to the back of the water cannel the ribs will have a false center if you will. You cut out the entire rib center and glue what's left to each side of the box. The fiberglassed bottom is where the hull strength comes from, not from having ribs go completely across the bottom of the hull. So you split the keel into two keeps with a bottom between them making an open top box. This becomes the water channel and you fill in up to it's top level between the ribs so the water has to flow into it. If you need any more help I will be happy to try to explain it to you. Not sure how good a job I will do bit well ya know........
These pics in my King Edward build might help illustrate what you're saying. King Edward VII - Fastgun
Some use foam block's for the hard bottom then glass it but I prefer to use 1/32 or if I can find it on the harder curves I like 1/64 plywood. I glass over that then use a pour in filler of your choice to fill in all the spaces below the top of the water channel between the ribs so the top of the water channel becomes the interior bottom of the boat everywhere but in the water channel itself.
Thanks for the help! I’ll start drawing out the keel parts first, then build the ribs around the keel and finally keep the water channel open until later?
You build the entire keel box first. Glue the two keels to the outer edge of the bottom center plate. Use decent wood here, it matters. I like to use 1/8" plywood or g10 fiberglass sheet when I can lay my grubby hands in it. Lol. Then glue the forward and after bulkheads in against the ends of the box keel to form an open top box. Then place the entire keel/rib assembly upside down on the deck if you have a flat deck it's easy. If there is a step up or a curve you have to block it up so the ribs all sit down flush to the deck and the keel is level. Then glue it to the deck rim. Then you can start sheeting the bottom and or adding blocks to build the hard bottom. Glad to help if you need anything else.
For wooden hulls, I recommend tacking the pieces together with CA glue. Once the hull is assembled, seal and strengthen it by brushing the whole thing with epoxy.
Exactly. There's almost no strength in any of these framework glue joints. The strength comes from fiber glassing the bottom hard area after it is either sheeted in or blocked in with foam or balsa. This choice in materials is usually dictated by the method of building the hard bottom. I prefer to sheet it with 1/64-1/32 plywood then glass it and fill in up to the water channel with a liquid filler. Others prefer to fill the inside by building the hard bottom with foam or balsa blocks carved and sanded to shape then glassed. It's all determined by how you personally want to proceed. It's the old adage. More than one way to skin a cat. Lol.
Of you use liquid filler wait till you know how much ballast you need to pour it. It gets heavy. I like to put around 60-80% of the ballast in the filler so it is never going to come loose and end up permanently on the bottom.
So right now I got my 1/4 inch plywood, and I am going to make the keel and double keel 1/2 inch tall, and 2’2” inches long. I have been sitting down every now and then to sand the double keel pieces, and I am making some progress on getting other pieces planned and cut out.
Awesome! Now that school is done I can work on my Graf Spee! Yesterday I moved everything over to my Dad’s apartment, and this morning I worked on cutting the Keel pieces. This is what I have so far, and once I have the bottom of the Water Channel, I will glue everything together. Hopefully if I work on this Today, Tomorrow and Thursday, I might have a couple of the ribs done too! I also went out and bought myself this Band saw for about $200, so this will make my cuts super clean and speed things up.
i got my Water Channel complete for the double keel, and I am ready to glue the rest of the keel together. I am still not sure how I should glue the front so it is sturdy enough to take a ramming, so ideas and tips would be helpful.
