The bronze stem bands are a bit trickier. Start with the boat upright, and place the bronze 1/2 round on the breast hook and in contact with the stem. Drill pilot holes for the first two screws. The screw pack has enough longer screws for two at each end of the boat. Use the short ones everywhere else. Once the band is attached with the first two screws, turn the boat bottom side up and proceed.
Screw pack. |
The bronze 'rub' or stem band tends to bend more easily and sharply where the holes are drilled, so place the screws one at a time: drilling, screwing, aligning and bending as you go. Run a narrow (1/4") bead of silicone down the keel stringer where the stem band will lay, to seal the screw holes and the staple seam (though this may be redundant, given the properties of the polyurethane). When the band is screwed down, wipe and excess squeeze-out of silicone off with a rag. Vinegar works well to clean up smears on the skin.