"......  tight seams, caulked with cotton,....."

Huh?  Are you talking about a CLC boat. Because that just doesn't sound like the right epoxy/fiberglass techniques typical to CLC boats. 

   Mr. G,

You are correct, doesn't sould like clcboat stuff. But nonetheless, the principle behind my question might still find helpful information from this forum.  How does one avoid shrinkage of solid stock, not plywood, allow for steaming, and maintain tight joints?

Thank you.

Joseph you'd be better served posting your question to the members who follow and contribute to the WoodenBoat forum.

You don't need to be a member to read the content there. A bit of searching may give you the answers you seek.

Otherwise you'll need to become a member to post, just as you did here, then sit back while you await the members who may have ideas they'll add to the thread you've begun.

Good luck with your build.

For general information regarding this sort of traditional carvel planked boatbuilding, you might want to refer to Howard Chapelle's Boatbuilding and "Bud" McIntosh's How to Build a Wooden Boat, both, I would imagine, available from the WoodenBoat folks.  Great source material on the subject.

I'm no sort of boatwright, and my one boatbuilding experience (CLC Passagemaker from a kit) would argue that I'm more of a boat-wrong than a boatwright, but I've read a lot over the years (including the above mentioned books) just out of interest in the subject.  I seem to recall that the issue with small, carvel planked boats is that, at some point, the planking becomes too thin (maybe less than 3/4"?) to hold the caulking well.

Also, I believe it is generally thought that carvel planking can be problematic for boats kept out of the water for long periods of time--they are happier if they stay moist.  Lots of traditonal work boats which didn't stay in the water most of the time were built lap-strake with some sort of flexible sealing at the laps or riveted laps for this reason.  Such planking methods as double-planked, Ashford, batten seam, etc., were developed over time as ways to build small wooden boats which would better tolerate the moisture variations and allow for lighter construction.

But, this is all just book learning from a boat-wrong who would likely hurt the boat, and himself, if he were ever to take up a caulking iron and mallet in his ambimaladroit hands.... <;-)

.....Michael