: If you use an internal strongback, the hull can be left on the
: forms while you build the deck. That solves all the problems of
: curling and twisting. Leave the glassing until all the stripping
: is done.

The above is the optimum solution. You can do this with an external strong-backs too. Ie: leave the forms in the boat. Let the boat be the strong-back after it is turned over (see picture). Of course one has to remove staples and nails so that sanding and glassing can be done. I do the outside of the hull - turn the hull over - leave the inside rough - reinsert the forms in their slots, put a tack in at the hull sheer-strip to hold them in place (this tiny hole is covered when the sheer is glassed later) (one could use hot glue too) - strip the deck.

One could also leave the hull rough while doing the deck and glass the whole shebang afterwards, but glassing the hull outside before turning gives the hull some stiffness and ding resistance while one is working on and sanding the deck.

Many participants in this forum will be bored of me stating the following, but for the newer builders here; consider glassing the inside of the hull, joining it to the deck, and then glassing the outside and taping the hull/deck join at the same time with the decking cloth. The benefits of this are more flexibility in the deck for joining and a quicker cleaner cloth join at the sheer as tape is not required. (the deck cloth does the job). This method is easy for boats with a hard angle at the sheer like the one pictured, as one can use a sheer-clamp, rather than those that are joined in a flatter section. But it will work with these too if care is taken. The downside is that if one is cutting out the openings before joining the halves the deck becomes very fragile. With a sheer-clamp one can cut the openings after the deck is installed. If one is taping this is possible too, but ideally after the hull and deck are joined and finished outside, then one can reach inside through the hatch cutouts to do the inside taping.

To see the above method

http://www.etiennemuller.com/northstar/pages/0039.html

then keep clicking on the forward arrow to see the process.

I have always built my boats as described because I began building in an era before the wide availability of proper plans and instructions and just did what seemed most logical in any situation. For nervous first-timers this may be too much of a deviation from the instructions that came with your plans. Worth consideration for a second build though.

Et