This is still a problem. Another option is to create the geometry as a solid model, partition it off, and hex mesh it. This may make the model entirely too large though, so creating mid surfaces and using plates may make more sense.
Sorry I forgot about the difficulty in using Femap's...
You could use the tapered beam property, but this is still cumbersome. I'm sure you're familiar with this capability, but let me know if you need additional information.