Hi all,

After 3 months of work I'm finally laying my first strips on a Fire Star.

I quite literally found it impossible to find full-length lumber. Local, internet, you name it. There was one possibility that would have doubled the cost of the project.

So, I decided to scarf boards together as suggested in Rob's plans. Built the jig, and also built a clamp jig to hold them square and tight while drying. Did a couple boards at an 8:1 scarf. Glued them up with TB III and let them dry for a week.

As soon as I picked them up they broke at the joints. All of them. The one that didn't break, when I ran it through the table sw each individual strip broke as it came off.

After much searching, I figured butt joints would have to do. To my (admittedly faulted) logic, the end result is the same product.

Sidebar: when I design and build things there are always compromises. As a matter of habit I generally try to turn my compromises into "design elements".

One idea I had for a design element would involve lining up all of my butt joints in a line from shear down about 4". My (admittedly faulted) logic tells me this is not a good idea for structural reasons. A little voice also tells me that most of my strength comes from glass.

Question #1: Will lining up these butt joints create a weak "seam" in the finished kayak? Like, will it break in half when I pick it up? Strap it to a car?

I laid my sheer line to see what it looked like. I like it. What I did was cut several 2" pieces of strip and (permanently) glued them to the back of the butt joint. I can either sand these off or leave them in place and glass over them. Question #2: Thoughts? Leave in place? Sand off? Will they actually do anything to reinforce the joint? I rounded off the corners so they look like little pills and I think I could live with them in the finished boat if they do actually do anything.

Like I said the line of butt joints will be from the sheer line about 4" down. There will be hardwood pinstripes running between the butt-jointed strips. No more than 3 butt joints will be lined up without a hardwood pinstripe between them. Does this help any?

Anyone have any thoughts? Bill, I know you have no issues with butt joints. Rob, it's your kayak and I know you DO have a problem with butt joints. Anyone feel like chiming in? I don't want to do anything that will compromise the integirty of my kayak.

Thank you,
Darel