Built forms, mounted aft hull

When building a plywood stitch-and-glue boat, you don't need to build the boat on the traditional forms and strongback because the shape of the panels fully constrains the boat. However, since I have created my own plans, I don't have the shape of my panels. They could theoretically be designed on the computer or paper and pencil, but they can also be done by building the frame. In the desire to spend more time building and less planning, that's what I've done.

The No. 4 bulkhead, where the boat splits, mounts to the front of the above frame, and I stitched in the side panels like so:

The aft transom is 17.5" from the previous form, and since the side panels are curved, you can't easily calculate the angle and distance of the bevel needed, unless you use a square like I do here.

Now after stitching them to some of the forms, it's beginning to take shape!

However, the lines are not very elegant :(. It slopes inward too much forward and either too much or not enough abaft. But it's relatively necessary for the nesting and to take advantage of the space in the van, so I'll do what I can to pretty it up! (In my next post, you'll see I learned from this and am making changes).

All stitched up!

One way to make sure it will fit in the van when complete is to use the van to store it :).