Nice to see someone using common sense and not just following Billings's instructions blindly, 1st rule of billings, throw away the shaft's, props and tiller arms and buy better ones.
My first Billing's boat was the Flying Fish, second was the Bankert and third was the Smit Nederland, I don't think I will do that again :) it's been 25 years since I built the Flying Fish for my dad, he's now 88 and still looks at it and say's hey son remember how useless those instructions were.
Not sure if it has been mentioned but please thoroughly scuff up anywhere you plan to glue anything to the hull.
Phill