Variations on a Seam

When building a V-bottomed hull, it can be difficult to mate the edges of the two planks that meet at the chine. Aft, where the topsides and bottom meet at a sharp angle, the planks can fit with a simple overlap; farther forward, however, the angle becomes increasingly obtuse, and at the stem the edge-to-edge fit is flush. The challenge is in handling the transition in these angles.

There are two common approaches for getting around this difficulty. One is to switch abruptly from a lapped seam to a mitered seam at a selected point. The other option is to employ a mitered seam for the whole length of the chine.