There is one aesthetic reason why you might want to use cheaters. If all the hull strips follow the curve of the sheerline, you can visually exagerate the rocker of the kayak. Of course you don't don't change the actual rocker, but from the side, the boat will look more curved-up at the ends than if you gradually relax the curve with a couple cheaters. I saw a canoe once that was built without cheaters and all of the side strips following the sheer. The curve just didn't look right (IMO). Before you commit, you might carve a cheater and dry fit it to so you can compare the appearance.

Another reason for using cheaters is that will make it easier to fit strip at the bottom of the stem. Without cheaters, you can end up with keel-line strips that are parallel to the bottom edge of the stem. That's harder to fit than if the side strips have advanced further around the curve of the stem when cheaters have been installed.

Always prepared to babble,

Ross

> Rich and Tim,

> Thanks, I've been wondering about this myself as I am building a Redfish
> Spring Run with 5/8" x 3/8" strips. I'll give it a try without
> the gappers. My wife (Tammy) wants me to do it sans staples. It ought to
> be interesting with no staples or gappers.

> Mike