: i would like to know if the cedar strips have to be free of knots for
: building kayaks or canoes? and would it be critical for the strength of
: the boat, since i would be fiberglassing them? i think some small knots
: would look nice. and would their be a test for the strip if i were to use
: some with knots, like bending them end to end to see if they woulkd break.

From a strength perspective knots are not a big problem. They are weaker when you build the boat and may break as you build. They will also be harder to plane or sand to make the boat fair and smooth. But they can look very nice and won't weaken the finish product significantly.