Dan, very helpful advice. I think I've already handled my panels more roughly than you did, and they seem very solidly joined together. I was worried about them holding as they go into place on the hull and deck and have to take their curved shape. But it sounds as though that wasn't an issue -- that your greater concern was the bending they go through just being moved around in advance of stitching and gluing.

As for the epoxy on the topsides of the pieces, I'm not sure yet if I will need to scrape it off. I presaturated the topsides of all pieces with CPES. The hull is also stained dark cherry, using Behlin's Solar Lux, so I'm pretty confident I won't get any sun-caused discoloration while I work (although I stay out of direct sunlight just the same). My test for what the surface will look like when a fresh coat of epoxy is applied is to the area a light swipe of rubbing alcohol. Right now, when I do that, the topsides look perfect at the joint, even with a light sanding to the epoxy that seeked through. So I think that, because of the presaturation, I may be okay.

Thanks again for the advice. My tentative thought is that I may glass the outside of the seam for the bottom panel, since it is directly under the cockpit and not very visible even from the side. I think I'll try the sheer panel and the chine panels without. But I'm also going to consider doing the keel panel without, since there is plenty of glass reinforcement on the inside.