Brian,

The bow and stern loops were meant to copy Bill Hamm's method of installation. I made the loop by overlapping the webbing across the base, stitched in a simple rectangular pattern. Then I burned screw holes thru at the ends and screwed SS sheet metal screws thru the decorative SS washers. Previously I had put a steel plate inside the strap (these are hollow climbing straps) with predrilled holes in the metal plate to give some extra hold down power. The stitching was primarily to get the overlapped ends to act as one, giving better strength.

I thought about clean, but this was for a friend's 14 YO who has never been in a kayak, or even a canoe by himself.

This is my first time with the Morris method, but I believe you could reasonably build with a single center seam. There would be a little less confidence that you had the skin straight when you do the first side attachment. Given that you would have the whole circumference of cloth to shrink out any wrinkles, it might not even be a real concern.

If you wanted a visable feature along the centerline you might try making the cap strip of a dark wood. I debated what the visual effect would be. Basically I went with Poplar I had from a stripped project, because it is very tough for its weight and it machines very well. The capstrip has very small features, I would worry about cedar. I did make some cedar test strips for the cap and they were just fine, I just never actually installed them. The cap strip is not structural, so it probably is not a concern.

The "plywood" look was an accident. I mixed some MinWax stain with Minwax Helmsman Varnish and thats what I got. Full strength stain was darker than the owner wanted. This is not something I would do again, the stain did not go into suspension well, I had to keep stirring, and there were areas of heavier color. Not what I wanted, almost an antiquing look. This was applied with a brush. With my poor skills I would prefer a spray gun.

The perimeter line is rope from a climbing shop. Getting it tight with the strap loop mounting is a bit of a problem, basically I needed a better knot at the back. There is a bungee cross before and after the cockpit.

: Looks great! Almost makes me want to try that method on Peter's Sea
: Bee (...almost, he has plans to use the seam as part of the
: painted design on the deck). I showed Peter the first pic and he
: thought you'd made a plywood version and he was envious (I think
: I told you previously about Fishstalker being a plywood skin
: with internal stringers, no stations, making it a plywood skin
: on frame).

: I'm assuming you put two screws on your bow and stern loops. Did
: you put the extra stitching on the webbing or did you buy it
: that way (If you put it on was there a reason other than
: ornamental)? When we built my boat we kept it clean so there
: aren't perimeter lines on it. Is your perimeter line rope or
: bungee? I'm putting a perimeter line on Peter's boat so I have
: to figure out how to do it (I doubt I will retrofit mine).

: Brian