Likely yes, as I recall.  Its been six years since then. 

Of course the question is define very loosely.  Is that "not tight"  or six inches off. 

I'd clamp it and check the deck line at the gunwhale to see what it does to the angle of the hull from chine to deck  and the overall line of the boat. I suspect you just need to glue it up......and isn't there a screw involved? 

Hi Horton, 

the forward deck beam should be placed where it is supposed to be per the instructions.  there is actually not a lot of flexibility on moving that piece fore or aft without creating some knock-on problems (problems you won't necessarily see until a couple steps later).

on the chesapeakes, it is pretty common that you may have to pull the side in a bit to mate up to the deckbeam.  the boat tends to splay itself out but as long as when you pull it in, the lines are fare, you are fine.

before glueing everything in its a good idea to test position the deckbeam, and the the aft bulkhead  and the fore and aft deck pieces to ensure that the deckbeam is close to the front of the cockpit opening, and the aft bulkhead is behind the cockpit and that the deck pieces mate and cover the complete boat from fore to aft.

if things are mispositioned too much, you will end up with bulkeads/deckbeam in th cockpit or not able to cover the boat completely with the fore and aft deck pieces.  i am not trying to scare you, there is play and room for a little mispositioning for all pieces without a catastrophe, but i find sorting this out on a chespeake is a good practice so you see how it is all going to work before you committ with glue :)

h