Hi Paul,

1/4 inch strips leave room for error, but, 3/16 strips are easier to twist and bend, and because of this are, perhaps, less prone to error to begin with.

1/4 inch strips were really introduced as the standard, for canoes. Kayaks are, being decked, far stiffer in every respect, and 1/4 inch is really overkill, as is the old standard 6oz glass, and the doubling of glass at the football. Press down with your thumb on a carbon Kevlar kayak deck and it will flex. Even the lightest strip construction will be substantially stiffer.

The main consideration, using thinner strips, is not to make them too wide where they round pronounced curves, like chines, as wider planks need more corner knocked off and the thickness is thus reduced.

Where I need to use shorter planks, usually because I can't find long stock in a certain colour, I sometimes have a bit of fun with the joins by scarfing through the width. If you zig zag the scarfs you get a pattern. This can be quite subtle, or more pronounced, depending on your intention.

Et