Hi Grant,

Lots of good ideas from you and everyone else that has responded. Thank you all.

How would you hide the hull/deck joint? It seems that the edge of the hull plywood would show if the entire deck were finished bright. Or am I not understanding your suggestion.

Do you think there would be any advantage to installing the shear clamp prior to assembling the hull as is usually done with a S&G? Leaving the plywood 1/4 inch proud, of course, instead of the other way around as usual.

I could paint over the shear for an inch as CLC does on many of their boats (I've done that and I like the look.) However, I was thinking of using a rub rail on this boat with a hard, rather than rounded, shear.
Dave