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Hey Joe, Thanks for your comments. I actually tried something like what I think your saying. I had two steel taper gages that were 4" long and 1/2" thick, perfect size. I took an old rib end and put the assembly in a vise and created a decent feather edge with a belt sander. When I tried this in place inside the boat, the clamping was not practical and the belt sander was too cumbersome in the tight quarters near rib radii. I would guess you overcame that by being able to screw down your wood fixture. I would like to see a picture of your cutter arrangement, I do have an angle grinder. If the system I used doesn’t work out, I may try your method of scarfing. That's all next year. If you haven’t already, take a peek at my photos of my trial rib splicing, noting that the cleats and ribs are tapered and epoxied together and will be screwed together from the planking side of which the planking will act as a splice plate tying the assembly together. Ron

Peter; Thanks for your offer. I have seen a lot of your postings. You have shared a lot of good stuff. I will scan your postings for photos of your projects. If you have something specific in mind relative to my project, I would appreciate any photos or specific advice. Thanks, Ron

i have a bunch of pics on photbucket as well.

as soon as i have a chance I'll post a like so you can seen all the pics

Ron, here are a couple of pics of the "grinder" scarfing rig. The one pic shows the ramp guide clamped to a mock-up of a rib and plank. This guide just gerry rigged from wood and a sheet of 1/8 masonite. Note that the clamp screw ( 4 " deck screw) runs in horizontal and bites the rib from the side. The other pic shows the grinder ( not OSHA approved ! ) being applied to a mock-up of a rib and garboard plank. To use this guide you first have to cut the bad end of the rib off. I ran down the line with my circular saw set to 5/8 deep.
Joe B
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Joe; Appreciate the photos. What type of cutter? Where available? I am assuming that you are cutting into the blunt end of the sawed rib from the bottom of the sloped guides to the top. I assume you fabed the fixture on the bottom of the grinder, did you make that from scratch or did you rework somthing else? I'm storing this prceedure away till Spring. Thanks again Ron

I've been away for a while. I took a shortcut in my restoration and it did'nt take long for it to catch up with me. I needed to scarf in a piece of top strake mahogany, about 60" per side, and I used a luan plywood knowing that it probably would't hold up. Two years later and yes it did not hold up!
Searching the web near and about the Pittsburgh area I have locked in on a source in Sandusky Ohio. "Marine Plywood by Homestead" is the name of the company and the product I'm looking at is called "Meranti/Keruing Mahogany (Hydrotek) Marine Plywood". The supplier was not overly helpful on the phone, only to say it was their best product. Does anyone have experience with this product and know if it's a good choice.

Meranti will work. Many people also use Okume.
Be aware that Meranti is available in different colors so,before you make the drive you may want to do some more checking with the supplier. It is a drag when you call some place and the employee nows less about the product than you do.
This product is most likely sold in metric thickness now not the old 1/8 inch 1/4 inch so you will need to pick the thickness that matches yours the closest.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Karl.