I don't know how to ask this but the upper area of in the bow sits ____ much higher then the rest of the hull. It looks like 1/2 inch (mine is). If it is 1/2 then add it to the 7/8 and keep that line straight to the front. It looks like your water line floats down too low as it moves to the tip of the bow. I suppose where the bow merges with the forecastle it should be 7/8 plus 1/2 or 1 3/8 to the top of the waterline. Use pinstripe tape to layout the hull right now to help you in the layout. That way you wont have to worry about pencil lines. In addition when you cut out the stringers and such leave them wide so you can back them with wood and then sand them down to the right size. The wood backer will help you keep the stringer in a straight line. I found that a 1/8 thick piece of wood that is 1/4 or 1/2 wide works great. You will have to make some rib backers anywy to help hold the casement deck to the ship so I would put the rib backers in first and then add the stringer backer so you can 'lock' it into the rib backers. Hope that gets you started. Johnny
Somewhere on the forum is a thread about a nifty little device used for marking waterlines... Make one of those, and use it.
Here is the link to that thread. It's on the 12th page. http://rcnavalcombat.com/Forum/tabid/58/afv/topic/aff/584/aft/441037/afpg/12/Default.aspx
Yeah, JP, those are the GWSS casements. I cried when the wood originals got cut up to provide plugs. Well, not cried, but I hadn't originally been going to make plugs for casting more... heh.
They look really nice! I have a few questions about them (and about the Baden/Bayern in general), if you or any MWC members/gurus have a moment... On the GWSS page, it states: The Stringer Deck (below the casemates): The area below the casemates are two 1/8" stringers: a 1/8" casemate deck and a 1/8" armor belt stringer. They are so close together that we recommend just combining them into a 1/4" subdeck. Is this legal under current MWC rules? I don't see an armor belt on my hull (which I do like since I figure it will simplify the sheeting)... Is it 'legal' to assume it exists and still use a 1/4" 'stringer' deck? Or, do I forgo my ability to use the stringer since the hull doesn't have an armor belt? Thanks, Jp
Many of the people who make plugs / molds for the hobby simplify them to make throwing hulls easier (more contours = harder to get good castings). Armor belt stringers, even casements are often deleted. You are more than allowed, you are encouraged to build the boat to the level of detail you feel comfortable with, including the armor belt.
JP In the MWCI rules if you want to have an armor belt stringer then it must be visible as an armor belt. I have not seen the new hulls but I have an old swampy hull that has a hint of an armor belt and I have to adjust my sheeting to model the armor belt. So in my ship I have the 1/8 stinger which is actually where the armor belt was modeled on the fiberglass hull. The plans I have show the top of the armor belt at 5/8. So you could have a 1/8 casement deck with a 3/8 gap and then the armor belt (which would be closer to scale). In MWCI you MUST have a 1/4 deck above the casements so the only choice you get to make is to have a stringer or not. The stringer in the bow models both the armor belt and assists in sheeting due to the curvature of the bow. The armor belt in the bow is higher than the armor belt on the rest of the hull. It will be easier to use two 1/4 decks but if you want to spread it out to reduce potential hits, then put in the stringer. Hope that helps you out. Johnny
I go with how Johnny has it on his Baden. On Malaya, my two stringers are close together, like less than 1/4" in some places, but the rules are pretty clear (to me, not looking to start fights in build threads), in that they say that the stringers go where the hull feature dictating them goes. If that means that they are really close, then I cut the thin little window between them out, but my stringers are in the correct location If on the other hand, ones' plans show the top of the armor belt being close to the edge of the casement deck, then that's where you go. I don't care to be in the business of compiling a master plans list that everyone must go by (I think most people have no interest in doing so, I may be wrong, it's happened before), so I would say do your best with the plans that you've got, and you'll be fine.
Thank you all! This is very helpful. Not to belabor the point, but Jadfer stated 'In MWCI you MUST have a 1/4 deck above the casements so the only choice you get to make is to have a stringer or not.' I was under the impression that one could have a 3/8" subdeck/deck above the casements and an 1/8" deck below the casements in lieu of the armor belt stringer. Is my interpretation not accurate? Granted, it would probably be advantageous to have an extra stringer at the armor belt, since I can't imagine too many BBs finding their way into the casement structure. I've ordered a new set of plans for Bayern (at least I think I did... the Loyalhanna ordering process seems a bit odd). I tried to get away with free plans off the Internet (the-blueprints.com) since I purchased the hull but it's looking more and more like I'll need something a little more credible Thanks again, John
I built my ship's casements according to the plan set used by Tim Beckett. They are EXCELLENT plans, in fact one of the best plan sets I have ever seen for any ship. I know they came from Germany but don't know where. I have seen other plan-sets that were not so good but for our purposes worked well. I measured the armor belt based on the plans and it is not very close to the deck (1/8) so if building it scale there would be 3/8 gap between the bottom of the 1/8 casement deck (stringer) and the top of the armor belt stringer. Tim says the armor belt is practically merged with the deck but I didn't see that on my plans. He studied them for a long time so I am sure he is correct. There is also the possibility that there may be more than 1 armor belt and you can model either one.. but not both.. you only have 1/8 to play with. If folks allow the stringers to be closer together then I would recommend the 1/8 casement deck, a 1/8 gap, then the 1/8 stringer. This would effectively give you a 3/8 of hard area as the bb's would rarely have the right angle to pass through the gap between the stringers. Seems to me the majority of the bb's that have a chance to pass through this gap would bounce off either the bottom or top edge of the stringers. Its a loophole in my opinion that is in use by many boats including Qe captains and is perfectly legal. So that is what I would do if I had to do it all over again.
Great! Thank you! If there's no objections by other MWC captains before I get around to cutting the hull, that's what I'll do. Thank you again for all your advice! Jp
Nick, fiberglass flexes.. and with the current crop of guns.. you might be able to force it through if you hit it at the right angle. I know you could on my old swampy hull, its so thin in places its like rubber. JP to be fair I would leave the stringers at least a bb's width apart which would be the gentlemanly thing to do. When I suggested a 1/8 gap I hadn't thought about the width of a bb compared to our standard 1/8 minimum diversion measurement. However you don't need other captains permission to do so as long as the construction is within the rules. If you want a 'ruling' on it then I suggest asking Bob (who may be watching this thread) or Tim Beckett (c/o MWCI) as they have both served as Nationals Contest Directors and would be the most qualified to make this judgment.. they would be the ones making the ruling. You might ask 20 different captains in the MWCI if its ok with them and they will say yes.. but if a Contest Director thinks it is not compliant.. all those opinions wont matter. That's why I go to CD's with these types of questions. See ya Johnny
If you're going to make a hole then a bb needs to be able to go through it. I think the easiest, I like easy construction, is to make two 1/4 levels. One on top of the casements and one below them. This whole section will need to be tied into the fiberglass hull with some wood rib backers. I had to do this on my Kongo, not as hard as it sounds. Leaving just 1/8" of glass hull for the wood to tie into worries me. I'm waiting for the Kongo's deck to pop off one day. Layout and tape up the ship and post it. Easy way to check before cutting.
I have also considered taking out the stringer and making the deck 1/4 if and when I ever fix it. I have to replace the 1/8 of fiberglass all the time but the rib backers and subdeck are holding up so far. I agree with Bob it will make life much much easier for your and having two 1/4 decks would be the best way for you to do. Once you figure out the ship in a few years you can always alter it and put in a stringer if you decide to. AND.. sheeting will be a breeze... J
