If you are building a kit, I'd stick to the instructions for kit builders.  It's unlikely that CLC would go to the expense of milling a rabbet only to ask you to remove it.  However mistakes can be made and if you have a question about the instructions in the manual, use the "Contact Us" link on the page header and ask them.  In my experience, they will respond quickly to your question.

   Thanks for the feedback.  I don't see a rabbet on the bottom panel on picture 11 in the construction gallery pictures, so I will contact CLC.  The #1 plank also has a rabbet, so I'm connecting two rabbets that are both on the outside of the boat.

   The rabbet on the bottom panel faces up,  the rabbet on the right and left #1 panels face down.  All panels should be marked with small white labels for orientation.  The rabbet on the bottom panel is a new modification from last year and not all manuals have been updated.  You should have received a three page addendum if that is the case. The new rabbet on the bottom panel helps to assure alignment with the number one panels.  This was the case with the Skerry I took delivery on March 1st and am in the process of building.  As with all questions I have had, double check with someone at CLC via phone or email.  Their customer/technical service is unmatched. Good Luck.

   Thanks.  I've sent a couple of emails to CLC because none of the predrilled holes on the #1 plank and the bottom panel align unless I align the stern of the plank with the bow of the bottom panel.  That includes the holes along the edge and for the bulkheads.  The bottom panel has mortises for the bulkheads, but the plank doesn't, so now I am wondering if I have last year's planks and this year's bottom panel.  I don't think the alignment of the holes would be different, though.  Good luck with your Skerry.

North East sailor,

No process is perfect.  There was a slip in the CNC cutting of one of the bottom panels in my Peeler Skiff kit.  I sent a photo of the issue to CLC and they identified the problem and immediately sent me a replacement panel.

What I believe is that CLC is a knowledgeable, sincere, and reliable partner for their customers in the building process.  CLC is a business, but the CLC managers and employees are true believers in their mission and their products.

I will be very interested to see how your issue is resolved.

Cheers,

Dick

   Sounds like you have the same situation I had w/ my Skerry kit that I bought late last fall.  The rabbet should be documented in an addendum.  Not documented is that in the redesign, the length bow and stern sections of the bottom flipped. First I knew something was amiss was when I tried fitting the bulkheads and bow/stern frames didn't fit. The shorter piece should now be the bow, not the longer piece.  Confused the crap out of me.  Also, I had side panels w/o the holes for the bulkhead tabs so I had to trim them.  The good news is that CLC is always trying to improve their product, but that's also the bad news.  The docs are lagging some.  Shoot an email and John will likely get right back to you in under a day.  

   Sawdust, you're right on the nose.  John replied to my email in less than two hours this morning and he said the same thing about the bottom panel.  I don't know how many times I was flipping pieces over and turning them end to end and the only way I could get the holes to align was to match the stern end of the plank with the bow end of the panel.  So switching the ends of the panel solves the problem.  My side panels don't have the holes for the bulkhead, either.  And I did not have the 3 page addendum that Backinwisco mentioned.  I made pretty good progress this afternoon, so hopefully I'm back on track.  Thanks for all the comments.