Requesting some 'guidance'. I'm about to start on one of Bjorn Thommasons designs, a 'Njord', but have a few questions. I have emailed Bjorn, but haven't heard back yet - and suspect there are so many here with experience with his designs, the answers will be obvious.

My previous builds have been with an internal strongback - this design calls for an external. I've looked at Bjorns (parallel 2x 6's, spread in the middle, on sawhorses) but wonder if using a box unit, or a setup like Tom Yost uses, wouldn't be simpler/easier to measure out the station settings.

I also have questions on the bow/stern - internal stems. Previous models I've used had an actual form for the ends - with the end forms split and glued to the bow/stern form. This also determined the shape/rise. That doesn't seem to be the case here - from what I see, the internal stem is attached to the end form, on the keel, and then to the strongback. Not sure how the actual 'rise' is determined - and as the build manual is written using a canoe form as a reference, presumably, the kayak, having a deck section to the forms, isn't simply screwed to the strongback, but is on a riser. How is the 'rise' determined for the bow/stern internal stems?

I hope this makes sense; thanks, all.