hi,
if i understand you correctly, i'm not aware of anyone using steps along the rails.
although many have used steps at the tips/ends to allow the flow to exit cleanly with less drag.
that feature is usually found with flip tips to keep the front from pearling.
the step in the back will release flow before the flip creates drag.
the step in the front is out of the water until you make a mistake, then the flip helps recover, (maybe)
most rail profiles are either rounded for grip/drag or sharp for cleaner release.
if tracking and edging are your goals i would concentrate mostly on outline and rocker for design parameters.
no worries though.
based on what i've seen and done, everything works.
some day i may be wrong, but its only plywood.
a few minutes with a hand plane will fix it
if i'm totally missing your point, let me know.
-bill