This proved to be a bit of an adventure due to a problem with the fit of the float in the cradles on the work table and the inherent shape of the forward bottom skin of the float.
First issue was that when we began to install the skin there was one bulkhead that the rivet holes would not line up. We finally removed the clecos holding the skin in place to see what the problem was. We found that the problem bulkhead was buckling due to the cradle location being too close to the bulkhead and the cradle being a little to tight of a fit. After sliding the float in the cradles so that the bulkheads were located midway between each cradle we able to continue with the installation.
We also found that with the curve in the forward skin the easiest way for us to line it up with the float was to begin clecoing the skin in place by starting at the front of the float. One of us then forced the skin downward into place while the second person clecoed the skin to the next bulkhead. After clecoing to the next bulkhead we then clecod the bottom skin to the top skin between the previously clecoed bulkhead. We continued toward the rear of the float working on each bulkhead and skin as we went. Lastly we clecoed the skin to the step bulkhead and only then did we begin to rivet it in place.
