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Mini Vee Race Boat Plans
Page Four
Sheer Clamps

Sheer Clamps

You can attach the sheer clamps to the transom and bend them around to the bow (my preference), or you can attach to the breasthook and bend to the transom. Either way, bend the two stringers at the same time. Otherwise, you will put too much stress on one side of the boat and possibly distort its shape.

Stress from this bend causes a distortion -- a slight "S" curve -- along bulkheads three and four and the transom (see picture). On the original Mini Vee I solved this by placing a thin shim (1/8" - 1/4") between the sheer clamp and the bulkhead.

On my second Mini Vee I left it alone, allowing this subtle shape to become part of the boat.

On the orginal Mini Vee I cut the sheer clamps off blunt at the breasthook, and later completed the bow with a carved nose piece (see Page 12 of these notes).

On my second Mini Vee I overlapped the sheer clamps and brought them to a point. This allows the bottom and deck planking to also be brought to a point and the nose piece becomes unnecessary.

Use three or four screws (and epoxy) to attach the sheer clamps to the breasthook. Expect to remove them later so that you do not run into them while beveling the framework.

One screw will suffice at each bulkhead, or you can simply clamp them in place until the epoxy cures.

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