: I am expecting the plans to arrive soon, but would like to have the materials
: waiting so that I can start immediately. Could anyone tell me the
: materials needed to make the strongback and forms for the Expedition
: Single.

: Many Thanks,

: Francis.

Francis, I found scrap 1/2" plywood that a contractor was discarding and used it for the forms. The expedition is a long boat and I didn't want to try a long 2x4 that is suggested in Nick's book. If you have a tablesaw, you can make the box beam that is also described in the book. I found a local fabrication shop that carries a lot of aluminum. I bought a 2"x4"x20' hvy. wall (3/16") aluminum beam. It is dead straight and does not sag. Short pieces of wood 2x4 fit inside to hold the stem forms. I drilled and tapped the aluminum to hold the cleats at the stations. The beam worked great during the building process and I didn't have to worry about it warping during the process. The wood box beam is probably a good choice but many have had success with the 2x4. I just wanted somethng more accurate. You will need a 16' 2x4 if you go that route. I cant tell how many sheets of plywood or particle board because I used scraps. If you need more info, you can E-mail me. The dimensions I gave are U.S. feet and inches.

Larry C.