Waterline

[Simon Holden]

Now entering year 4 of my Storm 17 build and having finished the inside, she's now lying on her back and waiting for final finishing of the outside of her hull in 2-Pack.
I've decided that for purely cosmetic reasons I would like to paint 'below the waterline' in white (pseudo-antifoul) as it just seems to look 'right'.
Plans for the S 17 show the level of the waterline at the stem and stern and general opinion seems to be that the waterline should rise a little towards the bow.
There seem to be many ideas out there as to how one might accurately mark the waterline but any practical advice would be much appreciated from anyone who has achieved this with success on a Swallow boat.

Simon

[Clem Freeman]

I left mine in the river for a season. Now its back on dry land I've got a line to follow. 

[Michael Rogers]

Brilliant, Clem!

Michael

[Jim Levang]

2nd best to Clem's answer might be a self-leveling rotary laser level. The professional versions of these tools are spendy but you might be able to rent one from whoever rents construction equipment in your neck of the woods. Of course, you will need to get your boat perfectly level for this to work. 3rd best way is probably just to make a bunch of marks with a water level (clear plastic tube with water in it and two sets of eyes) and connect them with an appropriate batten. Once again, boat must be level first.

Jim Levang

[Anthony Huggett]

Simon,
Thanks for the encouragement about entering the 4th year of build. I'm in the third year of building a BR17, (commenced boxing day, 2010). I'm a week or two away from starting the paint job on the exterior, so I am facing the same problem.
The instructions for the BR suggest using a joined-up rubbing strake - but I rather think I want this stuck to on the boat before I put any paint on. I was considering using a manually levelled spirit level which I already have - about £30 as I recall.
I like the plastic tube idea - probably just the thing for levelling the boat in the first place too. I might give that a try.

[Edwin Davies 2]

Having looked at photographs of the S17 on the Swallow Boats website (no waterline) and looking at my own S17 I think that no waterline is needed. I find my waterline is always in the wrong place. One up or crewed up, ballast or no ballast.  different if you need antifouling though.

Ed