Hey Paul, As usual your response is thorough and precise--and very much appreciated. I wish I had half your knowledge and ability to share it. I'm afraid I may have not been as clear as I should have been in the posting to which you responded. When I said, "That you used no ribs is definitely what I wanted to hear.", I did not mean to imply that I would be building without ribs--I will be following the pictures of the Lincolnville wherry--I only meant that knowing Michael's use of no ribs reassured me that by using the pictures as guides that I would not be underbuilding.

Thanks for all your advise, particularly about the oarlocks. I hadn't even thought of such things. Tom