Steve,
Don't sweat the making of the cockpit recess. I'll give you my secret. Perhaps it will help. After I cut the recess hole. I even it up with the fine side of a Japanese rasp.

Next to get the strips join up tight. I take the strip mark it with an awl. Then I use my bench grinder to carve the wood down to the curve. At the same time I am working the curve. I am eyeballing to get the strip depth angle to be rightous. Doing it this way makes it quick and fast and makes for real tight joinary after you get the hang of it, it goes fast.

Every 5 strips or so I put in a full cross piece to hold it all together and to make sure my rescess is staying symetrical on both sides.

To to the combing wall I don't cut much mostly I use the Japanese wrasp to get toe right shape.

Given your proven attention to detail. I'm guessing all this will come easy to ya.

I use a grinder to build overlapping scarfs as well. Makes them almost invisible

As for making the boat tight for your wife... Its probobly a good thing. Tighter boats are easier to brace, roll etc. At first its feels odd, but evetually after a nice tight cockpit the big roomy ones are the things that have us feeling funny. Over time she'll propobly appreciate the extra handling she'll get out of it.

Congradulations on a truly beautiful boat. Terrific work.

!RUSS