I'm working on my first skin-on-frame project (Yost Sea Tour 17). I have redwood gunwales and keel with wrc chines.

Here's my problem, I have everything set-up on my strongback, bow and stern aren't in place yet and everything is held together with bungees (no keel in place yet either). When I look down the length of the boat from the stern, it appears that the middle of the boat bows out the left. I can easily correct this by lightly moving the gunwale tips as I look down the length of the boat but as soon as I let go, they spring back.

Is this normal? Should I go ahead and put the keel in place and position the gunwales and chine to the bow/stern plates in such a way that it straightens out?

Thanks for any help.

Brent