November 19, 2024

PT11-18

Tuesday

I prepared the two main bulkhead sections by removing the temporary nails, then lightly sanding around the glued-in doubler pads to prepare them for fiberglass.

I prepared 4 oz. fiberglass as needed to cover the aft bulkhead (the cutoffs from this rectangular piece would cover the portions of the upper bulkhead that required it), then wet out and installed the cloth in the aft bulkhead, pressing it tightly into the contours of the four plywood pads.  The forward section of the bulkhead required fiberglass only on the upper sections that would extend above the foredeck, and smaller pieces over the lower doubler pads for reinforcement.  I epoxy-coated the remainder of the plywood as well.

Next, I turned to the foredeck, and cut 4 oz. fiberglass to cover the foredeck, seat tongue, and foredeck hatch cover.  Before installing the cloth, I filled all the remaining nail holes in the top surface of the foredeck, then laid the cloth dry and wet it out.  At the seat tongue, the cloth wrapped over the top edge and down over the exposed edges of the seat.

I lightly sanded the new chine fillets and the inside of the hull as needed to clean things up for the next steps.

By mid-afternoon, the first layer of fiberglass on the bulkheads was sufficiently cured that I could come back and apply a fill coat of epoxy over the surfaces.

I also applied a fill coat of epoxy to the foredeck and hatch cover.

Total time billed on this job today: 6.5 hours