> I have just started stripping my G-17 and am not thrilled with the look of
> the joints at the bow and stern and am seriously considering an exterior
> stem piece. Anyone been there, done that ? Would mahogany be a good
> choice. I have some thin test strips that would be the right length or
> should I go to a hardwood ?

Actually I just started making my stempieces this weekend. I used 1/16" veneers left over fron the cockpit of my last boat for the 3/4" x 3/4" exterior piece. They are sapele which is a hardwood cousin to mahogany. I use the same method as in canoe construction, with a piece of pine laminated in the shape of the stempiece and attached to the forms. (This will be left inside the boat.) I then bevel it so it is 3/4" at the bottom and 1/4" at the top. With 1/4" strips on either side it will be 3/4" wide at the end. The strips are then stapled to it and then the hardwood piece glued on top. I form the hardwood part before stripping by clamping it to the pine stempiece and laminating it with epoxy glue and sawdust for color. This way it fits perfectly at the end and makes it real easy to clamp when you finally attach it to the boat.

Besides looking nice I like stempieces because it makes the stripping go faster. You don't have to worry about weaving the strips at the bow, just overlap them and cut them flush.

Hope this helps...

~Edgar