Hi Dave

It's been so long since I've built my double that I had to look back at the pictures to see if I used cheater strips. I did indeed use a few. I think it becomes obvious as you begin to build when a cheater strip is required.

As for recessed cockpit, I would strongly recommend incorporating them into your boat. It significantly reduces the overall height (increasing paddling comfort) and it looks fantastic to boot. On one of my other kayaks I didn’t use recessed cockpits, and I regret it. I’ve spent the last few weeks ripping out the old cockpit, and have started to rebuild a recessed version.

Good luck with the double.

Derek