I've never been good bending wood so my advice is really valuable! yeah right.
I've even messed up white oak! ( steam, snap, boiling water, snap... rip thinner, boil,snap, even thinner, steam-snap...paper thin multiple laminations, but now it's a glue sandwich....)

It likely does take a lot of practice to learn to get it right. Steam time is important, too little or too much are both a problem.

best to use straight grain, green wood, that was split (not kiln dried cut into planks--good luck finding any in a lumberyard. In heaven there's a big wood lot and splitting froes everywhere.

Fine Woodworking has a nice compilation book of their articles. It's at least 20 years old, maybe they've updated it.
Some points I remember from it.
an article on Ammonia-- theirs is heated to steam and it's risky. The liquid method discussed here sounds feasible and safe. How long will your project smell like Windex I wonder.
A bending frame, with a metal strap that goes on the outside of the curve. The metal strap compresses the outside grain to keep it from tearing out. The piece should be butted at both ends though.

I think I saw an adjustable jig online somewhere that was used to make ribs for a Skin On Frame.
When, (if) I make that 21' baidarka.... that's how I'm going to do it.

One tip is that if the exact curve is critical but unsupported: lamination is the best way to go. (A coaming lip is 'supported' a chair leg would not be.)
Even the guys who made the Austrian bent wood Thonet chairs for 150 years frequently snapped pieces.
Good luck,
Will