Late yesterday evening I tried to bend the starboard toe rail into place to see what it would do and was pleasantly surprised to see that it bent without problems. It took a fair bit of force to bend it to shape but it was successful. So this evening I bent it into place and held it there using cramps. All well and good. The port side however, partially snapped. So I turned the timber around so that the broken part is at the aft end of the hull where the bend is slight and glued the split together using Titebond III. I will steam the forward end of both timbers when it comes to the point when I want to fit them properly. Clamping the rail in place is to see if the timber will take up any of the curve before fitting. Training it if you will.

The starboard side toe rail clamped into position.

The toe rail sill be fitted at right angles t the deck meaning that it will mostly lean outwards. Both ends will be shaped.

The toe rail here will be cut so that the chainplates are accessible. It will also allow water on the deck to drain off. Another scupper will be added about halfway back from here.

Both ends stop short of the end of the deck. This is to allow fairleads of copper sheets to be used for any mooring and anchor ropes that are used. If the toe rail one all the way to the ends of the deck the ropes would have to pass over the toe rail and would cause chafe.

The split in the toe rail being repaired at the after end of the toe rail.

This section will be steamed before I try to bend it into place again.