Others have written about using available short lengths of wood (and scarfing or butting or fingering) as another way of saving money but there is a further really effective technique that I've been thinking about and have never seen. I've been sorta keeping it to myself, but I really won't get around to using it for any time soon so:

What about lapping? You preplan areas of your yak (usually the deck - not necessarily always) that you wish to inset (less common raise) and lower that part of the forms that the inset crosses (plus say 2" overlap). You then lay out a strip that crosses the inset, roughly cut it off to profile and lap glue another strip below it across the inset and then lap up to the original profile.

This uses 3 short strips instead of one maybe hard to get long one, and effectively hides all the joints making it look like you really knew the heck what you were doing. Or think about insetting different woods. Or even changing the grain direction. Or roughly stripping up to the inset, jumping the gap, continuing on, and coming back later to finish the inside. Or for you outfitters who forgot which yak the food was in, just clear glass across the opening for a little window. Great for fido to look out of.( You do have vented bulkheads don't you?)

Anyway, cheap wood, short sticks, cheap technique - great result

-mick