Just checked my IRCWCC email archive, it was passed in 2011. So yes, they do allow two stringers, the deck has to be shaved down to 1/4" where there are two stringers (not sure if you can tell in my pics, but that is what I did).
The rule, in short, is that there can be no more than 1/2" of hard area in any verticle space. This can be decks and stringers totaled together. So for example if you have a ship like Kongo with a main deck at 1/4", the casement deck at 1/8" and a belt at 1/8" you are OK. You could also make the main deck 1/8" and add another 1/8" stringer to the bulge. A lot of the WWI ships that added bulges for WWII could do this. I don't think Kongo needs to do it, mine worked fine with two stringers. A Warspite with casements and scale bulges might need it. BUT if you are going to have a stringer there needs to be a reason for it. Some kind of bump in the hull. Derflinger had a belt that made a bump near the bow. A Derflinger builder wanted the stringer so he had to made the bump to get it. The bump is not needed as it's so small in our scale as to not even exist. I think Salem is pretty slab sided, I don't have a good print. If it had a belt I don't think it stuck out enough to make a bump in our scale. A 2' real life belt would be around 1/6" in our scale. I don't think her belt stuck out 2', maybe it does... I have a BC hull and it did not get a stringer cut into it as the BC hull is built smooth. If you're going to put in stringers then you should add a bump, glue 1/8" somthing to the outside of the hull, then pu the balsa on. Not that a cruiser takes much damage, John's had one at two NATS and keeps getting 0-0-0 for a score.
Salem's belt is visible, in a good picture. Derfflinger also has visible belting in the stern area. Assuming you make the belt visible simply by laying one piece of 1/32 balsa atop another, you'd need a belt armor vs non belt differential of about 5 visible inches. the Des Moines class had a max belt thickness of 6inches, so it is plausible to argue for a visible armor belt in our scale.
The belt on the des moines class is distinctly visible (see pic). I put the stringers in so that I could correctly model the shape of the hull (I believe that is the correct intention of the rule), and there will be a bump out where the armour belt is.
A 6" belt is .04" in our scale. That's 1/25" of an inch. Does not seam worth it. But per the rule if there's a bump you're OK. Most ships did have some kind of 6" bump in the hull, stringers for everyone.
Well, its a major headache to cut out windows, but I thought it was worth the effort for the good looks. Lets face it, if anybody gets along side it where hitting a stringer would even be a possibility, this ship is going down.
Statesboro or bust for Labour day! A few updated pictures of the build: The Props straight and close to the hull (I know it doesn't look it in this picture, but they are about 1/16" away from the hull) Deck/subdeck epoxied in flush to the top of the hull (subdeck is not yet waterproofed hence the difference in colour). Barbettes are epoxed to deck & retained with four screws each (I got tired of lil gneisy's barbettes getting blown off). Deck has been coated with a generous topping of West System epoxy.
Hello Chase, my name is Dan and I'm building a U.S.S. Des Moines. Pictures look good, what tool did you use to get your windows nice and smooth?
