If I understand you correctly, it's in the unsupported areas that the strips are not hanging together well. But all is ok where they are stappled or clamped to the forms?

If so, I would ask you about your beads and coves first. I did the deck of my millcreek with flat edged strips, and they had therefore no incentive to form a nice smooth surface. They did everything but lay together. I ended up stapling them together (and my fingers occassionally) and seaming them with epoxy. It sorta worked. But doing the bead and coves would have worked much better.

Also, there are areas where you have to taper strips due to the compound curve of the hull. I don't know where you are on the hull with these strips, but you could well be in an area that requires this.

It may be best to pull these strips and redo.