> Can you scarf it? I would think that a scarf would be relatively hard to
> see if you cut all your gunwale pieces from the same board (same grain,
> same color, etc.)

I built 4 canoes last year and all my gunwales were scarf jointed. Just rip to length and flip 1 piece end for end and the grain usually comes fairly close. Also make your scarf joint about 1/4 length from the bow on the inwale and 1/4 length from the stern on the outwale. That way the joints aren't so noticable. I use a 7 to 1 scarf on 3/4 x 7/8 material.