Usually I just lurk and enjoy the dialogue of the gurus, the inspirational pics and the agony of others stumbling along ahead of me.

But now, after having drafted up the forms from Nick's book, strung them on a 2x4, inhaled about a metric ton of sawdust making strips and spent all of my allowance on nifty little precision hand tools, I have installed the first few rows of strips on my wife's boat.

Ingrid insists that I make hers first. She is convinced that I will so much prefer paddling to glueing that should she ask for the second, it will never be built because I'll be on the water. After 25 years of marriage, I must bow to her insight.

However, it's also reassuring to know every time I learn a painful lesson (like slowly approaching the bow and stern finger joints) that I will have another chace to do everything with even more precision second time up.

This is a great project, made significantly easier by the contributions of the participants on this forum.

Thanks from a lurker.