If you are confident of your ability to do quality scarfs it shouldn't make any difference. If possible it's not a bad idea to spread your scarfs around so they aren't concentrated in one area.
If your stock is only 8' long you'll have to accept your choices will be minimal.

: I'm about to embark on the contruction of Dave Gentry's adaptation
: of the Disko Bay. I need 17ft + lengths of WRC but there's no
: way I'm going to find full lengths so I need to do some
: scarfing. My question is whether it's better to locate the
: scarfs near midships or try to locate them closer to the
: stem/stern? I'm guessing you go for areas of less curvature
: and/or stress.

: Sean