: Strength is not the issue. A fair curve is. Butt joints create flats on
: either side of the joint.

: This is the same reason I wouldn't use wood with knots.

: And, the large area of end grain will show up as a dark line.

: Butt, perhaps you like the "look"!

: Rob

Thinking about this more, I also use a whole bunch of home made U clamps and piles of spring clamps to keep everything straight while stripping.

Yes sometimes it would be easier to use full length strips or scarfed ones assuming you've got a shop that allows easy movement of really long strips, which I don't. I cut them in the garage/outside then move them to the 23' x 9' shop to build the boat. Unfortunately the access door is on the side of that shop so moving 18' long strips thru it isn't alot of fun. Sometimes you gotta do what ya gotta do

And from experience you can build a boat without full length strips and butt jointed ends. Larger boats have been done this way forever btw, with traditional carvel construction you never see scarfed planks, they are all butt jointed and they are normally perfectly fair.

Bill H.