I (of course) second Mikes SOF recommendation - and I think Tom Yost's Sea Bee would work out very well, or even perfectly. Free plans and building guide, here:
http://yostwerks.com/SeaBeeFrameA1.html

As for strip vs S&G, strip construction is the slowest and most tedious and painstaking method you can attempt - though it can indeed produce some nice looking boats. S&G is much easier and faster to build (though not as fast or as easy as SOF!), but strip, S&G and SOF hulls can function and track equally. That is a matter of design, not type of construction.

Good luck!
Dave Gentry