> Once you stitch & glue your hull, just put in some extra deckbeams to
> staple into. They wouldn't have to be as heavy as the ones you put in
> front of the cockpit and at the bow. Cover them with tape, and just start
> stripping just like you would a stripper on forms. Then, pull your
> staples, sand and glass the outside of the deck, pull it off, and sand
> & glass the inside. You probably wouldn't have to glass the entire
> inside, especially if you leave the stripping deckbeams in and epoxy the
> deck to them. I'd certainly glass the inside in front of and behind the
> cockpit, where you put a lot of stress on the deck doing re-entries.

If you do not glass the entire underside of the deck, you should upgrade the strip glue to epoxy. The strip technique works with carpenter's glue only because it is later encapsulated with glass and epoxy on both sides, totally isolating the glue from moisture. If the carpenter's glue is exposed to water in any way, e.g. punched with a rock or not glassed at all, it will soften, relax and ultimately (and quickly) cause bond failure. Some people would be embarrassed in a case like this.

> Also, by stripping the deck, I'd be able to put in a recessed cockpit that
> would be more comfortable to lean back in to roll. (and looks cool, too!)

> I really, really, really wish I'd done this with my boat, except I was in
> a hurry to have something to paddle! After I build my second boat, I'll
> probably tear off the deck of my first boat, the Ches. 17, and strip the
> deck. I don't have time to work solid on a project, so I hate the thought
> of having a month off without a boat!

I built a G17, and it only took 2-1/2 days to strip the hull (I'm not a woodworker by trade, and this was my first stripper). If you're going to strip the deck anyway...