Checking the stem and hull alignment

Sight along the hull and check for unfairness, stem straightness, and twist. Adjust the
blocking until the hull looks right. It helps to have an extra pair of hands ( and eyes! ) to slide the planks into proper position while you adjust the stem clamps. You can also change the angle of the stems at the garboards by moving the lowest set of clamps forward and backwards along the lap; the farther the clamp is from the stem end, the sharper the angle ( or the "finer the entry" ). Because of this adjustment, don't worry too much about the #5 planks fitting into the gains in the garboard; if they do, great, but it's not a problem if they don't.