The 38 Special is actually a Merlin, 1985 or 86 version, expanded 3.8 pct in all dimensions (thats the reason for the 38 in the name). It is a terrific solo tripper and just generally fun to paddle. If you pick your stripping pattern carefully the torturing is not so bad. According to the original builder Al Gustavson, you should lay a strip along the sheer and then a horizontal strip parallel to the sheer which meet in the middle and then fill in with cheaters. I just filled in with cheaters from the horizontal strip up. The bottom was easier after I decided to stop stripping before I cleared the stems and build the center bottom football out of straight strips run parallel to the keel. I took this off the forms, stripped two more along the chines, then trimmed and fit this big football piece in.

I don't recommend it to build as a first boat but a friend of mine did anyway.
He needed a lot of moral support but did eventually get a boat that's pretty close. He let the strips off the forms a bit when he had to and it doesn't look bad.