You might have to adjust or replace the coaming to fit the cedar. The shape and location of the coaming does not affect the boat's performance, so you can change it a lot if you need to. Best not to mess with the forms, though. -Wes

Wes,  not really sure what you mean. I don't know how to adjust the combing without making adjustments to the form. 

I really want to proceed with the build but I also don't want to do anything that is going to ruin the deck.

It could be that I misunderstand the problem. Let me try to restate my suggestion.

The coaming does not need to be installed as designed. So you can detach it from the forms and let the deck determine its shape and location.

Trying to modify the strip deck, however, could really mess things up for you. That said, you might have to modify the cockpit opening to better fit the coaming.

See the photos of how I did my Merganser hybrid at http://twofootartist.com/merganser-construction-notes/ Scroll about half-way down the page to the September 4, 2009 entry.

Note that I did not attach my coaming to the forms. Instead, I installed a base for the coaming fitted to the strip deck.

-Wes

I also don't quite understand what you're dealing with. I wonder if you could post a photo or two showing the problem. If I understand it, you've got a prefab combing that doesn't fit...

As long as the cockpit area strips have together the way you want, you can build a custom combing to fit. You want the cockpit to be the right size and shape for you, and the combing has to be built to hold a spray skirt, of course. 

I've seen combings built using short cedar strips glued vertically to form the edges of the combing with a laminated top; and I've seen combings built by laminating strips both vertically and horizontally in different combinations. 

I'd post pictures but it appears that I am as inept at posting pictures on this site as I am a boat builder. :(

When I built my SWS Hybrid I had some issues with the combing.

As I suspected, CLC confirmed that there had been a cutting error on form#6.

Specifically, there should have been a hole in form #6 whereas mine did not have the hole into which the cockpit stringer should fit. So, if your form # 6 does not have a hole this is definitely the reason for your problem.

In that case, contact David Fawley at CLC who had sent me a PDF file with drawings to correct the issue.

Even when that situation was resolved, the optimal positioning of the forms required quite a bit of finagling until it all fit. 

Keep trying to post a picture of the problem.

Chris

I had some misalignment at the back of the cockpit apron, and packed the apron out till it lined up with the strips .

You say you are lining up the forms with the sheerclamps. Have you planed the sheerclamps down to the right profile? If you imagine the curve on the top of the forms continuing out to the outside of the hull, they should just skim the top of the ply of the hull. The instructions descibe the offsets of the sheerclamp at each station, but by the time I'd mounted them they were a bit off, and needed rather more trimming back. That made it more tricky to line the forms up.

Thank you Chris!  Mine does not have a hole.  Pheeww..

I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong for the life of me.

It seems to me that all of the forms for the cockpit area are wrong. forms 7 and 8 are not wide enough to span from shear to shear.