> I turned the hull of my Tred Avon over to check alignment. As
> I sight down the center of the hull there is a low, as though one
> or two stitches were pulled too tight at the center. Laying a straightedge
> over it, there is almost 1/4" low at the worst spot. Possible
> fixes I can think of are filler on the outside (too heavy) or cutting
> and spreading the hull at that spot. Any other suggestions?

How about leaving it alone? That would be my first choice. Only 1/4 inch? That is pretty close, and certainly good enough. Chances are no one else is going to lay a straightedge on your boat. Anyhow, if the hull doesn't flex at least twice that much when it is loaded and in use, I'd be very surprised. And if it flexes that much, then what`s the problem?

I've seen a lot of aluminum canoes with deeper dings than that, and they were certainly fine to travel in.

If you MUST fix this, don't use a soft filler. Glue on a thin stick, or sticks (you can use epoxy for glue) and use a sander to shape it to the profile you want. Then glass over it. The wood strip will look much better. Paul Jacobson