Has gone through several stages over a number of years: Why set up a full frame shape, when much of the information and control of the shape can be in the part from which the hull is shaped? Today, we take a flat panel, lay it onto 11 simple frames which are positioned to locations marked on the panel and with the addition of a few short cuts and grooves, we pull it to the final hull shape. We have replaced miles of strip with a few short cuts to achieve the same effect. Even the largest hulls are completed without the boat builder moving off the shop floor

I describe the start of KSS, in 1991, as the time we moved away from conventional thinking for hull making. We eliminated the need for a full hull mould shape to work on and we put some of the hull shaping control into the panel itself. We made hulls in a lot less time than we previously spent on getting the shape set up. However, we have just made an important step in the refinement of KSS shaping. We now design for half hull shells to be shaped before bringing together to form the full hull. We think of a hull as a unit and the idea that it might be made more efficiently in two halves just did not occur to me till now. There are a number of advantages to the half shell. Better accessibility is the most important. I see it as the perfect compliment to KSS Modular Assembly - which is also based on arranging that all tasks can be done when easily accessible.

We have no particular plans to change our hull shapes. Yet, this shaping process is more versatile and does open up a few options that we will make use of in the future. This does make KSS available to monos, but not sure when we will find the time.

NO TORTURING. Torture ply and KSS hull shaping have nothing in common. The compound curvature is achieved by using short dart cuts and nothing is forced or stretched unduely. Allow the shape to take place. Open up the dart cuts if they close down hard. This way there are no built in stresses in the final hull. The other misconception is that the panel is only part cured while shaping. Allow to fully cure before shaping. One point to appreciate here is that there is some tendency for the bend to extend into the topside area. We encourage this by the placement of the inside skin before shaping and by the length and position of the dart cuts.