I agree. The seam on the deck panels runs near the front of the cockpit, not the rear. (At least on mine, and I *know* I didn't put the deck on backwards!) I would definitely install the reinforcement plates aft of the cockpit. When you build the deck, the instructions call for using an expoxy fillet & fiberglass tape to "connect" the panels across the center deck seam.

The seam that runs across the cockpit is not in front of the cockpit, so, even though your butt blocks are backing up that seam, they aren't adding reinforcement to the deck in front of the cockpit --which is pygmy's idea with the reinforcment plates that will be 'tied together' as described above when you build the deck.

This, of course, is assuming that you're building the 17 foot Tern. Pygmy's new 14 foot model (which I haven't seen) may have the seam in a different place.

Julie Kanarr