: 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!

Actually my first kayak, though it was plywood, had one form in the middle. It's a bit more of a challenge to get the shape that way :)

Oops, was the second, the first one I found when I was a kid with steam bent oak ribs and recovered it.

Bill H.