: Can anyone save me time by telling me why the 1/4" cove was selected,
: and whether a larger cove and bead is an option?

Hi Sion, very interesting question (i.e. one that I've been asking myself as well!). I have a 30.5' wooden yacht (Knarr) which is built with bead and cove oregon pine boards. This design is from about WW2, so it's an old technique. Here, the diameter of the bead and cove is much larger than the thickness of the boards - possibly twice as large. So, it's definitely an option - and a pretty good one, I would think: the glued seams between the boards are very tight and nice - no trace of fragile coves here. - I'm thinking about building a hybrid and then a stripper, and B&C radius is going to be one of the things I'll investigate in more detail before I start. -- Niels