Plank on Frame

From ClassicBoatWiki

As it relates to most wooden pleasure boat manufacturers of the 1910s, 20s, 30s, and forward, plank on frame, or more accurately "carvel plank on batten seam frame" construction was preferred. Chris-Craft, Gar Wood, Hackercraft, Sea Lyon, MInette and Greavette, are just a few of the popular builders of the time, that favored carvel plank construction.

Carvel plank on frame boats start with a wood skeleton, or a framework. Longitudinal framing members which run fore to aft, intersect with latitudinal frames that run laterally, or athwartship. The framework of a boat is designed for strength and rigidity in all directions. Included in this framework are the side frames. These frames define the outer vertical surfaces of the hull.

Attached to the side frames (laid into notches) are the side plank battens. These battens run fore to aft on the boat, and are positioned on the framing at points where the joints between outside planks meet. The plank batten spans the longitudinal joint of the hull side planks.

Generally speaking carvel planked boats have a smooth outer hull side and smooth inside appearance. The longitudinal edge of each plank rests on the underlying hull side batten. As the planks are fit, they are typically screwed to each side frame and along the plank seam batten.

The planks are butt fit, perfectly nested to one another with very tight joints. Most carvel planked boats do not have any caulking or roving between the planks.

Once the planks are fit and screwed in place, the screw heads are usually recessed, and the screw holes are plugged with bunged with matching wood plugs, or filled with a putty type filler. The outside of the hull is faired to its final shape, using planes, scrapers, and sandpaper.