50 squirt day.

Started off the week with a jig alignment. My rolling platform has three wheels (tricycle style, one under #53, the other two under #169), so it won't be subjected to different wracking forces as I move it back and forth across my less-than-flat side yard slab. The pic shows one of the cradle cross-pieces, with a hole and "cross-hairs" drawn through the exact baseline point for that frame. So aligning the jig means leveling frame 169 over the rear wheels from side to side, checking each frame for level in the side-to-side plane, then peering under the boat at each hole to see if the string is still right on.

I put the diagonal chainplate frames in last week, and today was a 50-squirt day putting in all the undercarriage stuff. I won't install any of the floor pan bits forward of 89 until after the boat sides go on- the bottom is just too flexy between supports otherwise, and I'd be guaranteeing myself an unfair result. Aft of 89, the bottom is well supported by the close spaced frames, and then aft of 124 I have faired stringers under the boat as part of the cradle, so I'm comfortable with going to town bonding stuff in back there.

And here's a dozen or so of today's squirts. I decided to put a single centerline stiffener from the transom to 169. I'll see how the bottom feels after the sides go on and add mini stringers if needed. For the cockpit sole, I think the bensons will act as stringers mid way between this stiffener and the cockpit sides, so I don't plan to add anything else additional there.

Lastly is a closeup of the stiffener against the transom. The central layer is uncut at the aft-most triangle, and there's a cheek of ply on each side to give it some mondo stiffness. The clamps are just holding things steady while the epoxy sets.

Happy New Year to all.

-Chad