Completing the Basic
Hull Structure
1. Correcting and Sanding
Once all the planks are installed, exam-
ine the hull. Rub wood glue in cracks or
add filler. When seams are filled, smooth
hull and deck planks with sandpaper.
2. Coppering the Bottom
During the 1983 restoration,
Morgan’s
copper line was lowered to permit
work on her topside planking. Model
Shipways’ plans show the original,
higher line and as it appears now.
It’s time to decide whether to paint or
copper the underwater hull. While it
may seem a difficult task, coppering is
fairly easy. It just takes patience.
The kit includes plain or adhesive-
backed copper strips. Secure plain strips
with contact cement. Either apply a long
strip and scribe in overlapping butts, or
cut the strips into plates and overlap
them following shipwright practice. The
latter looks best.
The first step is to lay out the seams in
pencil. No plan exists showing
Morgan’s
exact layout, so design your own or fol-
low the author’s. It’s based on photos of
Morgan
and other whalers.
With the model upside down, start lay-
ing the copper plates at the keel and
stern. Forward plates overlap aft
plates, and upper plates overlap lower
ones (Figure 3-1). To keep seams
straight, line up the plates precisely on
the layout lines. If they are wavy, the
effect is awful. Add the basic side plat-
ing first, then the plates capping the
stem, sternpost, keel, and rudder.
Gore Ends:
On the plans are belts with
gore ends; i.e., where plates go under
others (Figure 3-2). If the plates are left
square on the ends, their outline may
show through the upper belt plates.
Nailing:
Some modelers like to simulate
the nails in plating by indenting the
copper with a sharp point. This is easi-
ly overdone, especially when too big a
nail is used. If it doesn’t look scalelike,
forget it.
Coloring:
Copper plates will tarnish
naturally or can be chemically treated
with
Patina-It
. This turns them a blue-
green. A solution of sal-ammoniac
(available from a drugstore) and vine-
gar will do the same, or simply use a
wash coat of paint over the copper.
There are different schools of thought
regarding plate coloring. Copper weath-
ers only when exposed to air, such as
when a ship is in drydock for an extend-
ed period. Some say the patina wears
away once the ship is back in water. The
choice is yours, but weathered copper
does give the model a salty look.
3. Natural Wood,
Double Plank Option
Most wooden ships had one layer of
external planking. However, many
builders are familiar with double-
planked European kits or want a natural
wood finish typical of Navy Board mod-
els. Even though
Morgan
should be
painted, its hull can be double planked.
Purchase 80 strips of 0.5mm x 5mm x 20”
mahogany, walnut, or some other hard-
wood from Model Expo for the task.
Double planking will cover the existing
basswood, but leave the rails exposed.
Solve this by substituting your wood of
choice when adding the rails, capping
them with the new strips, or staining
them a similar color.
Follow the basswood planking process.
You may want to work with longer
strips, since the basswood already
defines the plank shapes. Simply lift
dimensions from the hull and cut the
wood. When completed, sand and finish
the hull with Floquil oil or glaze, or tung
oil. Finally, add a coat of wax and polish.
17
Fig. 3-2 Gore Ends of Copper Belts
Lower belt
Upper belt
Gore ends-cut plates to just lap
under the upper belt
Fig. 3-1 Installing Copper Sheathing
Cap plates fitted over keel,
stem, sternpost and rudder
Keel
Sternpost
STAGE 3
