: Hi Nick,

: Forms are usually, not always, on 12" centers, so for an
: average 17 footer you'll have 15 forms, the stems don't have
: forms.

: Some designs have extra forms at the ends because of the shape
: there, so they will have more.

: Bill H>

My first 12' canoe only had 2 forms. It was designed to have the shape that only 2 forms provide and that in turn influenced the construction. It is a fact that the less forms you have the easier it is to get a fair shape. however, more forms gives you more freedom of design, and as a builder it provides more support during building.

It is almost impossible to cut forms precisely enough so the boat goes together perfectly first time. It is even difficult to draw it exactly too; stations may be dimensioned to a fraction of an inch or a millimeter, but the station position may be slightly off or the bevel on the previous station may be a bit off all of which effects how the lines flow from station to station, so everything is a compromise.

Ultimately a smooth and handsome boat that performs well is more important than slavish adherence to a drawing that almost certainly has tiny errors. So the next step after getting as close as possible to the designer's intent is to make it look right. Shaving a bit off a station, moving a station, adjusting a bevel, changing a planking line - these are all stages in the growth of a new boat. Enjoy the process!