Dry-fitting the keelson

I was lucky with the weather - planing down the timber could be done outdoors, providing enough wind-cooling for extensive physical training. Wood shavings are good to have for starting fire during winter.

Fitted onto the boat to check landing on all stations and for taking measurements.

Back on the bench I re-established the centerline and marked opening for centerboard.

Ad-hock jig for routing the opening.

This plank is almost perfect but there are two knots exactly in the centerline. Both don’t protrude to the other face and are “live knots” but still… I got lucky that both these knots are in areas which will be cut away!

Big knot got removed after centerboard slot is routed.

The second one is just in the skeg tenon are so it will be gone, too.

I like when things fall in place so nicely!

The moment of truth - fitting the keel plank again, to check if centerboard opening is matching the centerboard case.

Yep!
All on the spot!
I left a pencil line-thick margin when routing, just in case something is not perfectly centered but that was not necessary. All locked in its proper position.

I clamped the keelson plank into its position and steamed the wood to remove some stresses. I leave the assembly now for a few days so the wood can get used to its new shape.
It should make gluing a bit easier.

Next steps before planking:

trimming centerboard opening - rounding the edges (pencil-line thickness) so that centerboard will not get trapped by protruding edge
making a jig for cutting skeg tenons. This jig will be also useful later as tenons will have to be cut again after planking.
masking and gluing the keelson to the boat