: Just about decided to hybridize the Diva Kayak I am about to start building
: with a strip deck. Question is do I need full boat length strips? Or, can
: I use shorter strips letting them end in where the cockpit opening will
: be? Letting them extend past the cockpit opening to be trimmed latter. Or
: does that present a problem? The only photos I have ever seen show full
: length strips completely covering the cockpit opening.

: Reason I ask is I have some nice looking WRC I salvaged and would like to
: use. But, it is all in 8 to 10 foot lengths. It is 4x4's and a couple of
: big slabs that were used as a diving board. I will have to resaw these
: into planks and then into strips.

: I could resaw and scarf them to length but then I wonder about the scarf
: joint showing. Plus they might end up lining up at the same place in the
: boat. But thats another issue.

: Now a WHAT IF question. Since I haven't decided on what pattern I am going to
: lay the strips in, maybe I could come up with a design that had a breaking
: point so that I could use the shorter strips and still fully cover the
: cockpit if I need too? That would solve the problem I guess.

Hi Kudzu,
Long or short pieces, either will do. A scarf joint is usually only noticed by whoever made them. If you flip every second strip you take off a board, end for end, your strips will colour, shade and grain match. Makes it hard to spot the joint afterwards.

If going for scarfed full length strips and are concerned, use a few really short pieces to stagger the joints. Although with modern glues, the join is stronger than the surrounding wood, so it's not so much a weak point as a potential hard point that can cause problems. Spreading out these points lessens the effects on the hulls flexibility.

To avoid full length strips altogether, you could go with a herring-bone pattern or a large pattern piece in front and behind the cockpit.

Hope this helps,
Mike Savage
South West Cork