What I like about doing something different is that you’ve got to think about what you’re doing. I’ve got two new boards that I’ll be completing this week…. Actually they’re not new but new twists to my retro hulls.

I’m calling them the sisters. One has parabolic or perimeter stringers. Shaping boards with perimeter stringers is different. There is no center line to follow so you have to find center at every measurement point. I use a special centering ruler that I made some years ago so it’s fairly easy to measure and outline the perimeter stringered blank, just time consuming.

The thing I also like about shaping perimeter stringers is doing the rails. Since the stringers run along the rail line the stringer intersects the rail profile. So when fine tuning rails and fitting a profile template on the rail you’ve got to make adjustments with a block plane…. very exacting. Put the template on the rail, if it doesn’t fit take a couple passes with the block plane check the fit, back and forth until it’s just right.

The net result of these perimeter stringer boards is I’ve got something quite different. They have a very unique look and if the new perimeter stringer hull works anything like the PSQ… perimeter stringer long board I’m doing now it’s going to be great.

D.R.