there are lots of great things you can do while waiting:

if you haven't ordered the book:  http://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/boat-building-books-kayaking-dvds/boat-building-books-sea-kayaking-books/building-strip-planked-boats-nick-schade.html  or http://www.clcboats.com/shop/products/boat-building-books-kayaking-dvds/boat-building-books-sea-kayaking-books/strip-built-sea-kayak-nick-schade.html i would order at least one of them and read it cover to cover.  either is a great prep and reference model for any work involving strip including a hybrid.

second, there a a lot of video's on you-tube related to strip built boat-buliding as well as stitch and glue....with great how-tos that are good prep.  just google 'strip-built kayak' and there will be plenty of stuff to view.

third, browse and search the forum http://www.kayakforum.com/cgi-bin/Building/index.cgi  which is focused very much on the strip-build community.  lots of great reads and threads that you will find there.

fourth, i will often start to create a scrap-book of strip designs that i like and begin to plan out what i would like to do well before anything arrives.  in a strip built you have incredible freedom in the stripping pattern as well as rigging.  in a strip built, a lot of the work for the rigging needs to be planned prior to the deck being attached to the hull.....so you can begin to sort that out while waiting and then look for references in the material above relative to execution.

fifth, consider searching the builders club http://www.clcboats.com/builders_club/search/  for a person close by who has built something similar.  i have had a lot of folks contact me over the years and have had them swing by to show them what it takes and to provide support and tips.  its a great way to meet the community as well.

hope that helps and welcome to the club

h

Super helpful!  Thanks so much!