You can go different widths, but on the whole one finds a couple of planks of appropriate thickness and just rips them up.

In general 3/4 inch strips work well. for pronounced curves around harder chines etc, you can narrow down a few to suit.

Some square strips in a contrasting timber can be nice for a bit of pin striping. Pinstripes make a boat go faster on the water.

I think you may be over thinking this project a little. If you get started with the first phase and then move on to the next, and so on, the project will just fall into place. A lot of questions will just answer themselves before they even become an issue.

Getting all the materials together the first time does require a bit of sourcing, forethought and research, but it works out.

Once you get the plans in your hands and roll them out on your dining room table it will become clearer too. I guess the first decision is to choose a boat and order the plans.

Et