: I'd really prefer to build skin-on-frame, but (although I've seen a
: few skin-on-frames for surfing) that there are some limitations
: when it comes to hull shape with a skin on frame (hard chines,
: can't do a concave bottom, etc).

: I'm wondering if I could do a hybrid strip/skin boat. I'm imagining
: a strip-built bottom that copies as exactly as I can a typical
: longboard shape with a skinned upper portion. Imagine a flat
: bottom, solid wood or foam rails, ribs that bend downward into
: the rails, and a skin that gets stapled to the rails.

: I could just do all strip-built, but the top of a strip-built
: surfer kind of looks like a nightmare to me, and I'd really like
: to minimize the amount of epoxy/fiberglass I need to use. Also
: it seems like a fun experiment.

Yup.

I built a pseudo-replica of an LC-148 East Greenland kayak a few years ago for a customer. It had a hull with a traditionally-framed SOF deck. It even had bulkheads and hatches. Quick to build and very light (28 lbs).

http://clearstreamwood.com/WordPress/portfolio/kayaks/k2009-elsie-ct-18