If mine comes out 25% as nice as these, I will be more than thrilled. Thanks for all the detail! (and thanks to everyone else for the suggestions / insights as well - very helpful)

Makore veneer star and deck tip applied over glassed underdeck.

I re-read this section of the instructions last night and I'm not totally clear on something. Am I correct that where you add a veneer deck (such as the stern piece) it's first stripped in the usual manner, and sanded but not epoxied. Next, the veneer is glued down, sanded lightly, sealed with epoxy, and then a layer of cloth and epoxy fill in the usual way?

For the decorative elements like the star, though, you're saying that first you do the epoxy and glass in the usual way, then because the veneer is so thin you just apply it on top and epoxy over it to seal it in basically like decoupage? (that seems right, just confirming)

Copper tape lines delineate change from perimeter deck to interior and main deck from tail deck.

Copper tape - interesting. Is that just the regular sort of tape they sell for electronics and/or stained glass window use?

I'm not envisioning taking on anything as elaborate as what you've done here just yet. I did a test with some of my strips last night, and it looks like I do have pretty good contrast between the light strips and the dark ones. So for the hull I'm thinking darker RWC for the topsides, lighter for the bottom, with a light stripe at the sheerline (either matching the bottom or something like basswood) and then ideally a thin, clean dark stripe just above the DWL to mark the transition.

Seems like darker is a bit more challenging than lighter, as dark-colored wood tends to be expensive and if I understand correctly hard to work with. Wondering if a marquetry or inlay approach might work? Something like copper tape, or a thin strip of dark veneer? Could that simply be applied over the glass as with the star element?

Alternatively - on guitars (sometimes made of cedar, in fact) they typically cut a channel and embed a strip of celluloid, polycarbonate, or similar material as a "binding." With a little planning, it seems like it'd be pretty straightforward to use the table saw and cut a small rabbet into the edge of the strip that's going to be the last dark one for the topsides, or first light one for the bottom (or even a bit of each to keep it symmetrical). Then install the strip as usual, complete the hull and then after the rough sanding and fairing is done come back and embed the binding material (which could be anything, really - leather, rope, wire, wood - subject to weight and aesthetic considerations) and then finish as usual.

Is that a sensible approach? Doesn't seem necessary for the light strips - just thinking of it where a dark stripe is wanted.