I am starting a Penobscot 17 from Arch Davis designs. The plans call for using screws as fasteners, such as when fixing the stringers to the bulkheads.
Would dowels work as well as screws? Several considerations come to mind. Will the dowels expand and contract in size in a way that would compromise integrity when compared to screws? What about sheer strength? In furniture tests the dowels themselves tend not to fail, rather the wood around the dowels tends to break. Would the same hold true for a small boat?