Decks on sectional ships

[RickF]

Finally made a start on my Nile gunboat - I'll post some pictures soon. The vessel was supplied in four sections and bolted together after delivery. My question is this: would the teak deck (4" x 1.75") have been applied to the sections before delivery, or added after assembly? As I'm building at 1:32, the butts in the planks are going to be obvious and I'd like to get them right.

Any ideas?

Rick

[RickF]

Well, guys. Nearly two weeks and 60+ views, but no replies. Surely someone must have an idea or opinion on this?

Rick

[bogstandard]

Have you ever thought that the 60+ views were after the same info as you?

I should think that the decking would be added at the very end of assembly. For two reasons mainly, the first being that they would most probably use locally obtained timbers because of transportation costs, why ship from the far east to Britain, then ship it out again to the middle east. The other is that I should think modular construction in the days of the nile gunboat wasn't really up to modern day standards, and chances just wouldn't be taken on the deck fitting properly.

To get the deck exactly right you would need a picture of it for the boat you are building. The craftsmen fitting the decking would use whatever materials were to hand and wouldn't waste anything, so if you had two identical boats being made, with the same sized timbers, the plank joins would maybe be something like, but not exactly the same.

Try googleing 'deck planking', here is one it turned up.

http://books.google.com/books?id=GbVBKlPceQIC&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=deck+planking+on+ships&source=web&ots=phx_exzPfZ&sig=GMU2Ofv285U9WQcId66wgnCajpE#PPA104,M1

If you go down a bit from the top it does show the different fixing patterns for planks of different widths.

If I get chance later I will look in my old reference books to see if anything turns up.

John

[Red_Hamish]

Hello all, sorry Rick but tend to agree with Bogstandard the search engines have probably led a lot of viewers to your initial enquiry.  Add in the fact that this is a particularly special enquiry without a definite answer.

 As to the mists of time fading memories I'd doubt there were any true representations of this particular gunboat surviving and therfore eliminating the curse of the "know-it-all but never built a replica, or anything for that matter" causing you any grief at the pondside / show. If it looks right then it probably is, is the way I look at most things in life.

cheers

Jim

[RickF]

Thanks for your input, guys. I wasn't being critical or looking for an argument - I was just suprised that nobody had commented - which is pretty unusual on here, as someone always seems to have an opinion on most topics.

John, thanks for the offer on decking, but I'm pretty familiar with the science of laying decks, butt shifts, joggling etc. That's not the problem. The cross-section on the builders drawings shows the size of planks on the various decks. The plan (below)shows "arrowed lines" on the deck. Do you know if these these are connected with the planking?

BTW, it was reported that all the gunboats shipped to the Sudan fitted perfectly when reassembled.

Jim, one "sectional" gunboat from the period survives - "Melik". she was a screw vessel and is preserved ashore as the clubhouse of the Khartoum Sailing Club. She is very well documented ( http://www.melik.org.uk ) and there is a paper model available. I also have some of the builder's plans for her. However she has steel decks, not teak.

You are quite right in saying that no-one will know if I don't get it right, but I'd  still like to do so.

Once again, thanks for replying.

Rick

[derekwarner_decoy]

Hi PD's....... ...Rick I have been reading from 'afar' but have no formal knowledge of decking

With respect to the <--------------------------> shown in the plan view above......the only thing I can say is

a) they are clearly symmetric above & below the center axis of the vessel
b) the majority of the <----> start & finish between frames which is a   for planking

I too must agree with "John & Jim" ...but would suggest you find an example on GOGGLE for planking of a vessel of similar size & era.....

No point looking at sailing yacht decking or the decking on the quarter deck of QMI....or a 1600's period sailing vessel

Then just   away to your hearts content  

[charvey4875]

Hi Rick,
I believe that arrows drawn as such on some naval plans show the proposed location of hammocks for the crew.  I am not sure about your plan but if those frames are somewhere between 24" and 30" that would give the distance between the arrow heads as between 10' and 12' which I would have thought about right for a hammock.  I am not sure I would want to sleep above that hatch though - so I might be wrong - but in compensation you are right next to the boiler to be cosy warm at night! :-)

Chris

[RickF]

Chris,

The "crew" on these ships was a pretty mixed bag. The Captain could be Army or RN, the engineering staff RN or civilian, the gunners Royal Marine, Royal Artillery or Egyptian Army. The "ratings" were mostly Egyptian.

There was bunk accommodation for 16. I guess the "lower orders" slept anywhere on the deck they could. Probably not below decks, as the hull was only 4'6"deep.

Rick

[steamboatmodel]

Could the arrows indicate planking direction?
Regards,
Gerald

[mjt60a]

I don't know if it's any help but in 'Paddle Steamers' by Bernard Cox are a number of 'grainy black & white' photos of Alfred Yarrow boats in various stages of construction, they do appear to have the deck in place while still in the yard but the pictures are not clear enough to see the planking - or indeed if the decks are metal which may be covered by planking later.
One picture appears to show a line across the deck between the boiler and capstan but it could just be a removable cover for all I know, or even a shadow from one of the upright supports...
attached is the best picture (in my opinion) to see the deck...

[RickF]

Thanks Mike - real info at last. I've ordered the book from the local library.

You can see the change in the hull colour where the "join" is. I'm not sure that this photo shows ABU KLEA or METEMMEH, the two Yarrow-built boats of the class in question, as there does not seem to be enough space between the capstan and boiler for the "rifle-proof tower". I've indicated on the drawing where I think the join should be.

The deck on the Elder-built boats is laid directly on the beams, with an iron stringer fore and aft on the centre line. There appears to be no metal deck.

Once again, thanks for this information.

Rick

[RickF]

The book has turned up - very interesting, aside from the bit on the Nile gunboats. 

The photo on page 113 (the one Mike didn't show) is, based on her length, a stern view of ABU KLEA or METEMMEH. The one Mike DID show, however, is a mystery. The later gunboats were 140ft by 24ft, which corresponds with the caption, but they were built in 1896, not 1885, and were built by Forrestt & Co at Wivenhoe, not by Yarrow. So either the caption is wrong or it is an entirely different boat. The notice board on the boat itself say "Yarrow",so I don't know where this leaves us.

However, the photo provides excellent detail on the bow plating, which I have been able to "adapt" for my model.

Thanks again for telling me about this book

[RickF]

Just by way of an update, I have recently obtained the book "Alfred Yarrow, His Life and Work". Apart from being a good source of reference for modelers - it's available secondhand via Abebooks - it has a chapter on the Nile boats. It seems likely that the illustrations in Cox's book shows one of the five "Lotus" type unarmoured steamers ordered from Yarrow in 1885 for the Gordon Relief Expedition.

The illustration below is from the book

Rick