Turn Over

Disconnect your boat from its building form and move the boat aside. You will now need a cradle in the form of two bunks approximately 34 inches apart, outside measure -- about two inches narrower than the tunnel.

The pictures show the cradle I used under the Tunnel Mite I built in 2004-5.

Include 3 or 4 cross-pieces, locating at least one so that it will be underneath the area between frames 3 and 4. This will give the boat support when it comes time to climb in a sit down so you can locate your steering, throttle, etc. (My seat is pressed right up against the forward face of frame 4.)

Level the cradle fore and aft as well as athwartships.

Pad the cradle with carpet or other suitable material. Pad the cross-pieces under the seat as well.

Set the boat on the cradle and check for level once more. And don't forget to check it once in a while as you go along. As more plywood is added it will become stiffer, and in the end will show virtually no flexibility. If it is twisted while you're building, the finished boat will be twisted.

Trim the Sheer Clamps

Just as the sheer clamp was trimmed at the stem on the bottom side, it must also be trimmed on top both at the stem and transom. Trim to match the angle of the stem and the transom beam respectively.