Hey All:

Thanks for all the responses! I've certainly got a lot to think about.

I was actually planning on NOT finishing it bright. I know it's silly to cover up all those beautiful strips. I'm planning on strip building because that's what I know how to do. I could probably manage stitch and glue, but I want a round hull, not a hard chine boat. The Mystic Seaport plans actually are for plank on fram, with six planks per side. Somehow the small sailboats I've seen look better with a solid color hull, and maybe a stripe of color at the waterline. Maybe I'll leave the inside bright? Does a lay up need to have the same weight glass on both sides?

Anyway, I was thinking that since I'm not going to finish it bright, I could use the quarter inch strips, and lay up some heavier glass. I milled my own strips for my Great Auk, so I've already got the router table and bead + cove bits for quarter inch. Do they sell bead anc cove bits for 3/4"?

In the meantime, I'm thinking of putting together a rough scale model, to sort out a few things. Is this a waste of time?

OK, time to stop daydreaming of lazy afternoons sailing around in my strip built Melonseed while cottonball clouds drift slowly across the sky...I've got a presentation to give at 7:30am, and I'm about 1/2 done with the old powerpoint presentation. Sigh. If I didn't work 80+ hours a week, I could be sailing instead of daydreaming about it!

Thanks again,
-Charlie