Now lay the DECKS. There is on the market excellent sheet planking,
scored to represent planks of various widths. Most machine carved hulls
are cut to depth with allowance for the thickness of such planking
sheet. Select sheet with uniform color and not too wide of plank — 19th
c. ships rarely had deck planks wider than 5-6 inches, 4-5 being most
common. The narrowed planks were often square in section as in this way
the shipwrights had a choice of four faces to put the best side
uppermost. Cut a paper template to fit the deck area, and transfer the
shape to the planking sheet. For such thin sheets, use an acetate
cement. A waterbase glue may cause the sheet to warp. Cement and pin
the sheet planking to the hull. Remove the pins and apply a droplet of
water to the pin holes to swell them closed.
On 19th c. ships the WATERWAYS—Fig. 14— (also called
covering boards, nibbing strakes, margin boards, etc. depending on time
and type) will cover the outer edges of the deck. Apply these, starting
at the bow working aft. The curve at the bow will be tough. Sometimes
slight cuts on the inner edge. Fig. 15 of the pieces will allow the
wood to bend more easily. For bluff'bowed (apple bowed) hulls it will
be necessary to use the same piece-up as with the stem. Pins will hold
the timbers in place until the cement dries
