Between "just sit back," and "think about it awhile" should be "open a cold beer".

> I guess the real lesson here is one that all kayak builders can
> use, whether they are building a stripper, ply boat or skin boat.
> This lesson is that when all seems doomed, just sit back, think about
> it a while, and keep your building spirit, because there is probably
> a solution, and if not, you can take a break and start over. After
> all, kayak building is an end in itself, not just a means.

You can also bend thinner material and laminate it to get the thickness and the ease of bending. Small frames that are in areas where they will never be seen (bow, stern) can be cut from good plywood on a bandsaw or with a sabre saw.

I have the same doom and gloom problem, and I'm getting a little better at realizing that the current tragedy will probably seem trivial when the project is finished.