: I am wondering what the best way to attach deck lines is. Morris' book says
: to run them through the gunwales but since the lines need to be installed
: before finishing the deck it must be real hard to do a good job on the
: deck finish.

What kind of finish are you expecting to apply? You're not going to get a furniture grade finish when you're applying varnish over fabric. Regardless, you can install deck rigging after finishing the boat. I take a nail (16d, IIRC) and blunt the point. After heating it with a torch, it's a simple matter to melt holes through the skin. Once the holes are melted, you drill the holes in the gunwales through the holes in the skin. After installing the lines, you apply varnish to the cord to seal it from wicking water into the boat. Once that dries, apply sealant to the area around the cord to prevent leakage through the skin.