Sue,

I am just finishing up an Osprey Standard and will be starting a Coho in a few weeks. I haven't built a CLC boat so my opinion is only partially informed.

Most of the back and forth about scarf joints verses butt joints has more to do with marketing and esthetics than the quality of the final boat. I do tend to favor the idea that it is easier to glue up an accurate butt joint on a pre-cut panel than a scarf joint. However I haven’t tried the scarf. I imagine that with a little extra care a scarf joint can be glued with equal accuracy. The line created by the butt joint makes an excellent reference point to measure from at the center of the boat. Pygmy takes advantage of this by having you start the stitching from the center point using the butt joints as a lineup point. In essence you get three points to check your lineup (bow, butt joint, and stern). I have found this very useful in the building and the rigging of the boat.

I also tend to prefer the Pygmy deck construction. Each building technique has its drawbacks. The Pygmy deck has seams and wire holes. The CLC has a line of screws or nails. Which is better or worse is esthetics again. I picked the Pygmy faceted deck because I like the upsweep of the bow, and the way the seams highlight it. Beyond that I believe that the Pygmy deck is inherently stronger that the CLC design (my opinion). The seams appear add structural strength to the deck. The CLC decks have a shallower curve to the sheer line and stress the wood in obtaining what curve they do have. Also if you check the archives of this bulletin board you will find that deck strength is a major concern in the CLC line of boats.

Remember these are my opinions. In the end I recommend you go with the boat design that you are going to feel great about.

Good Luck Don