Sheer Clamps

The sheer clamps will need to be ripped up the middle from the transom to frame 2 to allow them to bend edgewise. It is not that the wood cannot make this rather gentle bend, but doing so without the rip cut would put too much stress on the frames.

Alternatively, you can steam the sheer clamps and pre-bend them on a makeshift jig. If you have a steambox, I will assume you know how to use it, and won't get into the process here.

Attach the sheer clamps to the transom (see drawings for details) and then bend them around your boat's framework. It is best to bend them both together. Bending only one of them may distort the boat.

Trimming the stem

Mark on both ends of the stem the eventual locations of the plywood tunnel sides, as shown in the photo. The cut lines for trimming stem are found by bending the clamps around intil they just touch your tunnel side projection. Strike a line with a pencil.

Trim the stem with a handsaw or jigsaw or whatever tool you prefer. If you have not glued the battens to the stem yet, you could remove the stem and cut it on a tablesaw or radial-arm saw.

Install the Clamps

Before final intallation, strike a pencil line down the center of the inboard face of each sheer clamp near the bow. On assembly, position the clamp such that this line corresponds with a similar line centered on the forward face of the stem.

I also suggest striking a pencil line down the middle of the outboard face of each sheer clamp along their entire length. This line will come in handy later when you are beveling the framework.

Install the clamps to the transom, frames and stem with epoxy and screws.

Later, trim off the upper edge of the sheer clamps to match the angle of the stem.