I think I know the photo you are talking about. It looks like those shapes were painted/stained on rather than inserted pieces of plywood. I might try something like that. I also might just use a very different colour of wood for the small piece at the bow rather than trying to hide the joint. I think that right near the bow the deck doesn't bend much so you might not need a very strong joint.

Jimmy

: Just an idea, but on one of the recent posts about r2k there's an interesting
: pic way of dealing w/ these. A couple of chevrons of a diff color right
: across the whole deck. I think those were like a symbolic bird, but it'd
: get you that extra length and keep the grain true as well. If scarfs or
: butts work, why not this way. (maybe bending compromised a bit)

: -mick