I have decided to take a break from stripping the deck of my guillemot and instead install the external stem peices on the hull.

Question... how thick should I make the stem pieces? My stems will be laminations of walnut, my pieces are cut to 1/4 x 3/4 and my thought is to go with about 3 feet long and three laminations thick so 3/4 inch.

What is the common concensious for stems? Should I go longer or shorter than 3 feet? How thick given it is a guillemot with apparent poor tracking? I do not wish to use a skeg or rudder. Is 1/4 inch walnut to thick for the bend? or should I plane it to 1/8th?

Ametuer questions I know but learning is a curve, yes!

Thanks again
dave g

PS thought this one up the other day after another foolish goof and had a good laugh, thought I'd share "The sharpness of the tool, doesn't always compensate for the dullness of the mind."