Final 3 strips

Colm · Post by **Colm** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 1:45 pm

I'm down to my last 5 strips on the bottom of the hull of the Redbid I'm constructing. I've been following the book Canoecraft for most of the construction and I'm a little confused as to how to apply the last 3 strips. In particular, the book mentions to plane the cove off the 3rd from last strip prior to gluing in place. It then says to pre-glue the final 2 strips together but I'm not sure of the best way to get the correct curve for these strips :? .

Anyone have any clarification of this method or can perhaps recommend a better method for applying the final strips?

WarpedBoard · Post by **WarpedBoard** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 2:14 pm

If it is any help, I just completed stripping a Wee Lassie. Believe me, the compound curves on that boat can really cause some "stripper's elbow"

! I found that templating out the cuts for the final strips and then cutting them with a band saw was the cleanest and most precise method I could have used. Until I tried this, the books and other descriptions left me puzzled. Hope you have a band saw or access to one.

Steve Lansdowne · Post by **Steve Lansdowne** » Mon Aug 02, 2004 5:22 pm

You plane the cove off so the strips (glued as a unit) can sllide into the space you've made for them. If you left the cove on, you couldn't squeeze them in. Only the part of the cove closest to the water (canoe bottom) needs to come off. You likely can sand it off easily, since it is so thin and cedar is so soft. As I recall, sizing them to fit is done the same way you do the other strips. Lots of trial and error, and not taking off any more than a "hair" at any end until finally they fit.