Gotta respond, feeling left out after all of the traffic on this thread

My .02

Don't throw away those uneven strips, there are many spots where you will just need a short piece....cockpit uprights, recessed cockpit, cheater strips in bow and stern etc.

Now I feel better

Ben Staley

: Hi Scott, look at all that advice... Here's a little more: Long boards can be
: hard to control. You can let the first one or two strips go thin in
: sections if that helps to straighten the board out. Make sure you're
: focusing your attention on the cut; not the thin strips coming out the
: other side of the blade - keep your eyes in front of the blade. Go at a
: speed that is comfortable to you but too slow can start to cause problems.
: I like to get a little momentum going. Hold the board further away from
: the saw so you have more leverage - you'll be surprised how well you can
: maintain alignment when you're standing 6 or 8 feet away. You don't have
: much control if you're standing right next to the saw. Get a helper to
: support (but not guide) the material as it comes off. And, relax a little
: and have fun with it. Don't worry if you have a few throwaway strips.