: Thanks for the encouragement and advice! I would like to avoid staples if
: possible. Do you keep the shear strip clamped in place until enough strips
: are glued in place to hold it? Any tips for that first strip?
: Thanks!

Hi Kevin,
Some use spots of hot-glue to hold the strips to the molds.
More complicated is to hold the first strip on with clamps then put the next strip in place without glue and clamp that in place seperately. Remove the first strip and replace with short pieces of strip at the mold. These can be stapled, screwed or nailed to the molds to maintain the sheerline. Add the third full strip with glue then strip down along the hull.
The sheet strip can be put on later.
Make sure that the first strip is positioned so that it can be trimmed for attaching the deck before gluing anything.

Maybe some of the others will post other techniques.

Mike Savage
South West Cork