: Also conventional plywood boatbuilding (ply on frame) can generate
: shapes you'd never dream of making with S&G. S&G is
: fairly limiting on design, it's just easy and that's why it's
: popular, not because it's better. And ply on frame can be just
: as easy with certain tricks.

: Bill H.

Further on the chine log theme: I have built several canoes and boats using chine logs. My designs either have straight sided plank developments that are easy to relate to hull shape, or I use FreeShip to develop plank shapes.

When the plank edges are not too curved, I glue thin (2 x ply thickness) chine logs directly to the sheer planks while they are flat. This makes the planks stiffer and easier to handle with less chance of breakage. Once they are set up over a mold, I plane the edges of the logs and ply ready for the bottom, for a 3-plank boat.

For a 5-plank boat, I also glue chine logs to the edges of the bottom plank and set it up on the mold together with the sheer planks. Once the chine logs are planed ready for the bilge planks, I epoxy those and tack them in place with temporary staples. I only use epoxy for the final joints, as the plank-to-chine log joints that are made flat fit perfectly so they don't require a gap-filling adhesive.