I'm a convert to bead-up, having built a boat each way. Yes the cove is a convenient glue trough but it's easy to make a strip holder, run the glue, then flip the strip over. The advantage is that you can apply much more pressure to the bead than the fragile cove, either with tape/ clamps or both. If you're stapling, I guess it doesn't matter as much.

Either way, I'd go ahead and flatten the botton of the sheer strip while you can hold the strip flat. A slight angle, 3 degrees or so, wouldn't hurt.
The block plane will be fairly useless after the strip has a permanent curve so you'll have to removing the bead or cove with sandpaper.
Eventually you'll probably sand both sheer strips at once with a fairing board when mating the deck and hull so the more wood off now, the better.

: Well, I'm about ready to place the first strips, the sheer strips,
: and have a question ....
: My strips are all bead-n-cove. It seems to be a good idea to have
: cove up, for holding the glue as I go.
: However, I've been reading and most advice says the first strip
: should be flat at the sheer line.
: Is this that important? Should I plane the bead off the strip so
: the edge is flat?
: I was thinking it would be no big deal to leave it as a bead.

: Thoughts out there??