Starboard planking of the ship has continued and with the positioning of battens ( the small unpainted timber below the sheer strake ) more planks should be ready to be attached to the frames. The planks are attached initially with clamps and large screws and are only permanently bolted or dumped when the shipwrights are absolutely satisfied with its position and shape.
Planking on the port side has progressed to the point that the sheer strake has been attached and the battens also lay out the exact position of several more planks. Note the bare timber of some frames – they had been painted but to get the precise shape for the hull further adjustment was made by planing the frames. The restoration of Alma Doepel has been fortunate to have such skilled and meticulous shipwrights employed.
Two knees ready for priming and painting. These knees have had the unsound timber removed and hardwood pieces doweled and glued in place. It would appear that the centre triangular timber is all that remains of the original knee. The laminate pieces have been glued in place to maintain the shape, size and strength of the knees.
This photo shows the laminate pieces being glued to the rest of the knee. This usually takes three lots of gluing to complete – each time “attaching” two laminates.
These 2 knees have more sound timber and will not need the curve laminate pieces to be glued to the original timber. Some timber has been replaced on the straight edges.
The sheer strake ( the top most plank ) has been refitted to the Alma Doepel. This is very significant as it means that the counter has been established and no more settling or movement is occurring. The next two planks – the 3rd and 5th planks – are set in place and are ready to be permanently fastened. Great progress over the last week.
Meticulous preparation, with fixing battens to the frames, has laid out the exact position for the planks to be fastened.
The photo below from August 2013 shows the planking at the stern and the complexity of determining the shape and positioning of each plank.
Further planks have been removed from the starboard side to expose more of the frames for inspection.
A delivery of fastenings arrived during the week. Several hundred kilograms of bolts and dumps to be used to fasten the frames and planks solidly together.
A slideshow of some previously unused photos from late 2010.
