I noticed that when I set my straight 2x4 on the stands and looked at it the next day it had formed a dip. I turned it over and again the same thing happened. With this in mind I put the present "crown" up and slid the stations on (internal strongback for Guillemot)and positioned the stands to support it effectively positioning the strongback into 3rds to evenly distribute the weight. There was a slight twist to the 2x4 and I had to oversize a few cutouts a little more so they could be adjusted properly.

Alignment was achieved by screwing a horizontal stick to the strong back at both ends. It was long enough so the alingnment strings attatched to it would clear the forms. If it touches the forms, you don't know if it is truely straight the entire length. Placing these sticks on the strongback really emphasised the twist in it. No problem.....I used longer srews on the outer ends to attach the alignment strings to, which gave me enough vertical adjustment. I then made sure the outbound stings were level side to side across them from end to end. If these are not level, you could end up building a twist into the kayak. Level along the length is meaningless. Since the floor is not level...what counts is that it is straight.

I then placed another stick at each end rising vertically and outward beyond the end forms. A screw was then used to attatch an alignment string to.

At this point, no stations have been secured

Next I dropped a plumb line from the front and rear ceter line. Sighting beneath the forms I could visually align the plumb lines and make certain that the center of the forms dissapeared as they all fell into alignment. On the top I sighted along the string. The height of the forms were then adjusted by sighting across from the outer strings looking side to side.

After all of this I gave it a few more days to sit. I wanted to make certain that the strong back did not sag or twist any more. Everything was still in allignment and I started to strip.

I left the strings in place until they interfered with stripping and checked to ensure things remained alligned.

One more thing that helped. I would stand back and get up on a chair and hold a plumb line out in front of me. I could then sight from a distance. I made sure that the fore and aft plumb lines were lined up and that this lined up with the plumb line I was holding in front of me. By doing this I could verify that all the stations were indeed perfectly aligned. This also helps to ensure the end forms are straight. It is difficult to make sure they are truely straight unless you can sight them from a distance.

In the picture you can see how the twist in the 2x4 is accomodated by raising the allignment string up the screw that it is attatched to.

Hope this helps with your alignment questions.

Tom