One of the biggest impacts to be made visually is to add the side keels. They come in four cast urethane pieces with brass mounting pins molded into the parts. Following a quick session with an electric drill to open up the hull to receive the pins, the side keels were fit in place. Small wheel collars where slipped onto the pins on the inside of the hull and snugged down to hold the parts in place (aided by rubber bands and small bungees on occasion).
While the aft side keels fit snugly against the hull with minimal filing, the forward side keels were a bit rough -- especially forward where they curve with the hull towards the ram. Unwittingly, I stumbled upon an easy way to improve the fit: solar power.
With the side keels held in place by wheel collars, I snugged the forward sections against the hull using rubber bands tightly wrapped around the bow. The boat was then left outside in the shade on a hot day (actually serving as a static work-in-progress display at an AMA event). Upon disassembly after the event it was found that the temperature had softened the urethane enough for it to mold itself to the hull's shape. The new form was retained after the parts cooled down. Much easier than trying to do the same with a heat gun!
It also serves as a caution against rough handling of the boat in the future during extended periods at the pond in warm conditions.
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