: The Expedition Single on the cover of my book looks like crap. There are
: staple holes everywhere, gaps between the strips, divots in the wood, the
: fiberglass shows through the varnish, there are clouded spots and I am
: generally embarassed to be seen on the same beach with the boat.

How common is it to have gaps between strips that some amount of light can be shown through? A fellow builder has been despairing over this issue in a canoe that is in the final stages of completion. This is a boat that will be for sale, and so he wants perfection. Is he overreacting, or are light leaks fairly common?

Jeff