Form height for Ranger

[Steve, Fall City]

I am in the early stages of planning to build a 15-0 Ranger on a 16-0 strongback.
Because the canoe will be shorter than the strongback it seems to me that I may need to add a few inches to the height of the forms (as indicated in the drawings) for stem clearance. Is this a correct assumption?
I would rather not modify the strongback.
Has anyone had experience building a Ranger?

Thanks

[Glen Smith]

No Ranger but I have built shorter boats on my strongback by adding an extra 2" to the form heights.

[Rod Tait]

You would be correct. It would be advisable to raise the forms so that the excess stems and your planking nicely clears the strongback. This also helps when it comes time to glass. The height is up to you, but two or three inches should do it. If you raise it too high, you might have to stand on a chair to strip and sand the bottom of your boat.

For canoes, there does not seem to be the perfect height for your beam and boat. Too low and you bend over to build the sides, too high and you reach to build, sand and glass the bottom. Personally I prefer a low strongback on stands

[Steve Fall City]

Rod, Glen
Thank you gentlemen. I appreciate the feed back and advice.

[shawnwaite]

Steve..

I just finished the Ranger.. <yee-haa>

but I'd take both of these guys advice..

lower the legs and raise the molds.. my forms could have been raised with the correct strongback.. it was tight on the ends.

As far as it being too low.. i wouldn't worry too much about that.. the sheer goes together pretty fast so you won't be belt over half as much as you'll be sanding the top of that hull!!

have fun...

S.