I'm about to install the ribs in my "Brinck" baidarka. I'll be steam bending green oak. I recently tried using green twigs I found growing near my apartment with disasterous results. From my experiance so far I have found the temporary keelson to be a total pain in the butt! I understand it is there to give the ribs uniformaty and to establish the sheer but could I try something else? I'm thinking a mixture of Cunningham's, Boucher's and H.C. Petersens techniques. I'll cut the ribs two hand spans bigger than the gunwhales. Bend them them at a point two fingers inside the gunwhales initially, one finger later, and just keep a close eye on things to maintain symetry and balance. Does this sound crazy or am I writing off the keelson too soon?