Patsy, IIRC you are thinking of doing a Shooting Star? If so then my very limited experience may have some application. I doubt that this approach is new, but I have not seen it in any of my research on strip-building.

On the North Star I am building I started strips at the shearline, the keel AND the waterline (or therabouts). That left me with two "footballs" to fill on each side of the hull. I find it easy to taper the strips for a good fit, so the extra tapering did not trouble me.

The approach GREATLY simplified fitting the strips to the bowpiece. It reduced compound bending of the strips and I found it also helped when fitting the full length strips to the already constructed tailpiece.

I used three 19mm strips and a 6mm pinstripe at the shearline to emphasise the length of the boat. Those strips also covered the sides of the "bulb" on the upper bow of the North Star resulting in the first tapered joint happening at the spot where the bow bifurcates.

The area of tapered strips on the sides of the hull emphasises the curves of the forward part of the hull and the bifurcation of the bow, yet at the same time seems to blur the joints, so it looks more like one big piece of wood in that area. (Note that I have taken almost no care to try to match each strips colour or grain).

I am nearly finished strippng the hull and very happy with the appearance so far. I will try to post some pics soon if there is interest.

Cheers, Tony Bligh