Thanks for the encouragement, Chip. It's very much appreciated.

Do you suppose a couple of dowels or biscuits would work and be just as strong? I hadn't thought of something like that. Don't know how to cut slots for biscuits, but I can certainly drill holes for dowels. I'm sure lining the holes up straight won't be easy either, but it's got to be easier than what I was trying to do.

I live in Cary, NC which butts up against Raleigh.

Patsy

: Keep your head up buddy, we've all been there. It ain't always easy getting
: started. That tongue and groove joint is not inconsequential and might
: challenge the skills of any of us. I started out with a couple folding saw
: horses, a chisel and a plane in a one-bedroom apartment (but I was
: building a box not a boat ). You may also be able to come up with
: workarounds: could you use pegs on the ash tip? What's your geographic
: location? It's not that uncommon to borrow tools or visit another
: builder's shop in your area.