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Aligning Deck Fasteners

When fastening down a deck with bronze ring nails or screws, it's hard to get them all to line up evenly - especially if the deck panels are cut oversize - unless you make one of the nifty measuring tools shown below. With the tool's bottom "finger" pressed against the hull, the top "finger" indicates the center of the sheer clamp. Make the tool 4 inches long and use it to mark off the distance between fasteners, too.