Rob: You are correct, there is no actual stempiece just strips wrapped around the bow and stern running up from the keel. Nick talks in his book of putting them on as the boat may get some rough treatment going into or out of the water. I am building a Guillemot and if I run strips from the kleel do I stop at the sheer line where the hull and deck separate as Richard said he did or do I wrap around to the deck and make a cut so as to separate hull and deck?.