Ooooohhhhh.... I never considered the part the skin could play in keeping the curvature of the hull. I was concocting all kinds of crazy ways to incorporate a straight rod down the middle that would act like a strongback. I guess I was still "in the box."

I have been gathering ideas from different designs. I saw a boat on ebay that had a wood piece around the coaming to aid in bracing. It was kind of like a cockpit recess. I assume he had pads under the deck mounted to the wood. Also he had a mast step mounted in it for a sail rig. I would like to have a wood and 'glass cockpit coaming just like on my stripper, just for a nice finishing touch. Also I thought about possibly adding hatches, at least to the rear, made like a coaming and covered with neoprene. It's all on the drawing board, and I'm sure some will stay and some will go. The goal with this boat will be to make a folder that doesn't look like a folder.

Thank you so much for the input. Maybe when it's done we can set up a paddle. Once I get a portable yak I'm probably going to be dangerous!

-Malcolm