: Hey Dan,
: The only thing you have to satisfy is your eye, prefarably, a
: roving one as I find the need to move back and forth.This way
: you can pick up the slightest deviation from a geometrical rate
: of change of direction [bump].The shear strip is the most
: important as all else will slavishly follow it.Well, the
: deviation is smoothed out by the 4th strip
: The ocean won't notice the odd bump ,but you will be forever
: mulling over it.No one else will either.
: cheers, from Paul NZ who has and will continue to have to scarf all
: his reclaimed cedar strips in up to three places to get a boat
: length...painful.

It's amazing how accurate the eye can be!! Casting your eye along the sheer, chine or keel will quickly point out deviations that you'd take forever trying to find by measuring.

Paul - I simply butt joined all my strips on my current build (The Black Pearl) because I only had 8 and 12 ft lengths. I used small backing plates made from scrap strips and temporarily held them in place with hot melt glue. Worked like a charm

Sean