The last couple of days were focused on getting all the bulkheads prepped, secured and ready to be epoxied in place. I finished up on the bow bulkheads and dry fitted the thwart. I ran out of the Thixo tube epoxy so didn’t get everything on the stern bulkhead and the two side supports finished. By tomorrow the epoxy that is there will have set up and I will be able to remove the various clamps I set up.

I have liked using the thickened epoxy out of the caulking tube. I did get a higher leverage caulking gun – using just the basic caulking guns we all have laying around don’t create enough pressure on the ram. Could barely squeeze out the epoxy. Got one with 18:1 leverage – easy peasy. The consistency and smoothness makes for nice fillets and joints.

The downside is that it is very expensive. Tube tubes are deceiving – there is epoxy on only about half the tube. I was surprised how quickly the tubes emptied. So will have to head out tomorrow and pick up perhaps a half dozen more.

I will highlight the center two bulkheads when I post about the daggerboard trunk. See that thread.

Note on dry fitting the bow thwart. You will need to plane a sharp bevel on both sides and the front edge. Just keep dry fitting until you are happy with the fit – plane a little here, plane a little there – see how it fits; repeat. After about ten trips back and forth you will be happy.

BOW BULKHEADS COMPLETE

BOW BULKHEADS COMPLETE AND DRY FITTED THE THWART

STERN BULKHEAD PARTIALLY EPOXIED IN PLACE