I've even thought about not using staples and just doing one strip ... let the
: glue dry then another..

I went the no staple route and a deck pattern design on my first one and am glad I did. You will find that if you have a pattern you have many short pieces that must be fitted so that you can progress almost as fast not using staples as with staples. Where there is not much stress on the strip it only takes an hour or so for the glue to set enough to unclamp and put the next strip in. For the hull, where the strips may be under stress and they strips are full length the no staple approach will be slower but the results are very satisfying. Put a strip on, go do a "honey do" project , come for another strip and you win points as well as create a staple free kayak. Earl