hull symmetry

So, although the stitching process went really smoothly, İ was a little concerned with my hull symmetry. İt was very wobbly and definitely not squared.....

Last night İ decided to give it a closer look and define the method İ would use for epoxing the stem. İ started pulling those side panels tight and worked them slowly with the help of 2 nylon straps İ usually carry around in my car for surfboards and stuff. Those straps really helped me a great deal. İ also used the 2 leftover pieces that İ had after cutting the stem piece. Since they were perfect offsets, they fit nicely on both sides of the hull giving me a straight support for using my larger clamps.

İ also used the copper wire I had, and wich İ did not really used before, instead of the zip ties. İn this application the copper wire works great since its function is more to avoid the stem piece to slide aft than to really join it to the side panels (that is done by the clamp). Two wires, on at the top and one at the bottom was all that was necessary.

Pretty quickly the panels were joined and the stem piece was where it should be...İ was a happy camper and the whole thing suddely looked much better and definitely much stiffer than before.

So İ decided to check out symmetry. As described in the manual, İ ran a string from bow to stern and then some strings accross the width of the hull at about 1/4 , 1/2 and 3/4 of the boat length. To my surprise the hull was pretty symmetrical but not perfect : i had about the whole starboard side shifted about 1/2 inch. İ looked at the whole thing for 5 mns to decide what to do next. Then, with the use of a really high tech piece of equipment (a broom !) İ gently pressed at about f89 against the side panel wich was off. With a very limited force applied, the whole hull became perfectly symmetrical in a matter of second. İ measured again and all string segments were within their expected measurements, that is less than 1/8 inch off ! How about that ! Than İ checked if the boat was leveled, after İ was sure it was symmetrical, and could be happier to see that the little bubble was perfectly in the center of my level.

Than İ went to bed, dreamed about my future boat and slept like an angel....! Epoxing the stem

is my goal for the next days.