: I used exactly the same lumber from Home Depot for my first and
: only SOF so far...

I like hearing this!

: I did not want to have to make 2 scarfs per stringer...

I ended up making two joints, anyway. My gunwales came out at 14-1/2', leaving me concerned that the wouldn't be long enough to make the kayak 15' long. Sure, I could just modify the design and go with it, but seein' as it's my first SoF... I'll build it the way Tom says. So I picked up a 6' length for $3 & change, sawed it in half, and scarfed the halves. My gunwales are now 16'.

Just out of curiousity, what method are you using to create the scarf joint? The first joint I measured, drew, cut, and block planed each 8:1 slope. Half of the joint wasn't clean. Either I tilted the block plane, measured and drew incorrectly, or didn't apply enough glue (probably all three). After that first joint failure, I built a quick jig that amounts to nothing more than two carefully planed blocks of wood screwed to a base. The blocks are planed down to match the slope, 12:1. I measure and draw the slope first, then rough cut it with a circular saw, then clamp the stringer to the middle of the jig and plane away. It's fairly easy... just angle the plane a bit, catching the ends of the sole on the jig, and plane the stringer in the middle. I wouldn't consider it to be the quickest method, but I'm not trying to build a kayak in six hours, either ;oD. I'd rather plane than go to the gym, too.

I'm held up waiting for payday to pick up the rest of the stringer material and plywood for the frames, so I don't consider it lost time, either.

: I've tested the kayak...

Sweet! It's nice to know I don't have to worry considerably where the scarf joint's placed, as long as I made a clean joint.

: The problem with that particular lumber is that the 1x2" is
: actually something lile 3/4x1-3/4" so the frame is rather
: skinny. I felt if I drilled holes for things like rigging or
: lashing it would weaken the frame a lot. So I did not drilling -
: all was lashed only (except the bow and stern boards, where I
: used glue and a couple of small dowels each).

I'm only lashing it, too. Jeff/Kudzu's video tutorial ( http://kudzucraft.kudzupatch.com/video/lashing.php , thanks Jeff! I figure I'll pick up my polyester and sinew to pay for those videos) on the subject looked fairly convincing. Looks like it'll make for easy repairs/alterations should they become necessary when I get around to reskinning it in the future, too. Just cut the lashing, a lot easier than cleaning up cured epoxy/glue.

I've got to do more research on the stem plates. I've seen some lashed together with V/Y lashings, but nothing detailing the process. I wouldn't be surprised that by the time I lash the frames to the stringers, I'll have enough experience to figure the plates out on my own, if necessary.

Any "intrusion" into the gunwale will be for deck rigging, though I haven't decided on my method yet.

:...I think the frame came out stiff enough
: and if I had used the thinner variety skin rather than the
: heaviest, the kayak would have been closer to 30lb than to the
: 40 it is now.

I reckon the pine's going to help with keeping the frame stiff and strong, since it should be more so than WRC.