Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for the info and incouragement. The issue of vynil resin on the fiberglass did cross my mind. I assume that if I sand the gelcoat well there shouldn`t be a problem bonding the deck to the hull with epoxy resin. I am planning on attaching a shear clamp first then making up notched out forms following the original deck and modifying as I see fit. One of patients is a old Valley Skerry with an ocean cockpit and massive gelcoat cracking. I like paddling the boat very much but am sure it will be much nicer with as low as possible freeboard and a little bigger cockpit for entering and existing the boat. Also I don`t need all that deck hieght for my size 11 shoes. Dealing with the rope skeg should be interesting. Hopefully the compass recess, and hatch componets will be incorporated into the strip deck. I will post pictures after I start cutting. Jay, thanks for the tip. And thanks for inspiring me to learn the layback roll via your Ist Roll video after having no luck with the CtoC method. Oops! got to go 'The General" is calling from the kitchen.