Had a piece of 1/2" scrap aluminum from a previous project. Crudely extracted a piece 24" x 3.5" from the piece to use as a backing plate for the upper jackplate mounts. Will round the corners and clean it up when the "finish" work is started. Now that most of the rigging has been mocked up, will start de-rigging and getting the inside hull and underside deck finished and ready to glass back together.