Here's a thought, if you really want them to dissappear. Assuming you are going to install a rub rail at the sheer, you could fasten a temporary rub rail outside the hull, say a 3/4 x 3/8" strip. Carefully cover this strip with packing tape as it will be removed. Staple it through the hull into the sheer . Then staple the (slightly oversized) deck to that. After the epoxy cures, remove all the staples and pull the temp piece off. Then plane the deck fair, and the rub ring will cover any existing staple holes in the hull.

My Tred Avon has staple holes across the beams anyway, so I'll just staple through a piece of scrap to hold the deck still, and then fill the holes. I'm using a 1/4 crown 3/4" air stapler, I am sure there are less obtrusive options there.

> I'll soon be installing the deck on my CLC Chesapeake 17. Per the CLC
> intructions they have you nail the deck down to the sheer clamps so that
> the epoxy can cure. The epoxy is really holding the hull to deck joint
> together, not the nails.

> Has anyone had experience they wish to share doing this without nails or
> screws? Like using duct tape, packing tape, straps, etc.? I'm interested
> in getting it on there without nails simply for the clean look I believe
> it would give me.

> Thanks in advance, -Roger Donahe