> How did you strip the deck? Did you fasten strips directly to shear clamp,
> deck beams, bulk heads, or did you make some type of frame to attach
> strips to?

It wasn't pretty in the making.

I ripped a bunch of 2/4's I had, plus some then unknown wood that had been shelves (was maple I then discovered). Laid them out in various patterns on the bed of my wifes truck, and got her to look them over as well. Aranged them in what was pleasing to me.

To attach, I really and truly simply brass tacked the first piece at the bow, and then at the bulkhead. I continued this process working outward, shear clamp to bulkhead. To achieve the strip angle I liked, I simply tugged or pushed the pieces.

Part way through this high tech tacking job I discovered that the pieces had their own ideas about curvature, and didn't necessarily line up with the piece next to them. By a long shot at times.

First I tried taping them together. That didn't work. Then I tried globbing some epoxy between the pieces. That didn't work well either. Then I tried taping a piece underneath (don't ask me why I didn't just turn the boat over, it didn't occur to me). That too didn't work. Finally I just ran staples over things joining them (only stapled my fingers a few times). That worked. I tell people those dark tiny holes are wormwood holes.

I then ran over the deck again with epoxy and a squeegee trying to work some into the larger gaps between the strips (more like planks actually, which is the effect I wanted). Sanded it as smooth as I could, without going through some areas. Easier said then done.

I then laid glass clother over it all, with pretty good results, considering how things were looking.

It was weak, so now I flipped the boat over and laid some glass cloth strips under it for strength, and that made a huge difference.

Varnish made what to me is an impossibly dramatic beautification step at the end.

All said, some of the strip joints creased, but they did so symetrically side to side. The deck isn't terribly strong, but it isn't fragile either. I can fall several feet down onto the hull without damage (don't ask), but I doubt the deck could take that.

I got the look I wanted. The deck doesn't look strip built, but more miniature plank built. And I really like the looks of the various knots in the wood as well. Chris at CLC asked to see it, but I haven't run it down there to him. He has a stripped deck MillCreek, but it's essentially a veneering over the plywood deck. I'm sure my weight would appal him. That, and my luan and house paint.