Hey, Randy-

I started my first boat B&C, and quickly came to the same conclusion Holmes did. I think bevelled is preferable in every sense. I build stapleless with 5/32" hardwood strips, but even if I was building with 1/4" softwood and staples, I'd feel the same.

I am always surpized how many places in the boat require little or no beveling. For the places that do, I prefer to not quite plane down to the outer edge of the strip. I get the angle right, but leave it a little open on the outside. This does two things: first, it enables me to get a good idea if the angle is right, and second, although there is a little gap (at the ouside edge of the boat only) during stripping, as I fair, the gap disappears, and I know I've got a good glue joint through and through.

Hope that makes sense, and perhaps helps. Ask Santa for a really good block plane, if you don't already have one. I like the Lie-Neilsen 60 1/2 adj mouth, FWIW. Have fun! Mike