Once again, it's not the geometry, it's the joinery. Could I have some suggestions for the best technique for making the inwale fits to the breasthook and the quarter knees? This is an open 14 foot lapstrake boat that will have an inwale and a rub rail sandwiching the top edge of the sheerstrake and the frame ends.

It seems as if there are two basic options:
1. Cut the notches in both the breasthook and the knee, fit one end of the inwale, then use the notch at the other end of the boat to mark the end of the inwale, and cut it, praying that it's not too short.
2. Conversely, use the pre-cut ends of the inwale to mark and cut the notches in the knees/breasthook, praying that the notches don't get too big.

Which is best?

I'm aware of the technique of using a thin pull saw to fit the joint (kerfing), but relying too much on that is what creates the risk of getting things too loose.

Other drawbacks to kerfing the joint include the danger of even touching the saw to the shoulder of the joint and thereby leaving a small, but oh, so visible bit of kerf right where you don't want it, and also the fact that a thin saw tends to wobble slightly in the joint, leaving less than an absolutely straight line. But using a dozuki, rather than a ryoba, might make the cut straighter.

What I'd like to be able to do is "measure twice, cut once" and be done with it.

Any other suggestions or techniques out there?

Thanks,
Chuck