First thing was to take all my work yesterday apart and set the pieces aside.
Next up was to tape the side-to-chines on both sides from the bow back just beyond the the first brace between the stringers that I worked on yesterday. A fillet of peanut butter and two strips of 10oz fiberglass, one four inches wide and the other six. Then it was on to the bowstem.
I cut a strip of 4oz glass ten inches wide, painted the bowstem and sides with epoxy, used my excess peanut butter to fill in the gaps between the bowstem and the sides and laid in the glass.
With the work in the bow finished I could move further back and start work on the flotation tank. The first thing was to finish the brace between the stringers.
I had cut it fairly close, but left it a little tall yesterday, so today after marking on the stringers where vertical piece of the tank would be I pounded it down into place and looking both at the front side and back marked the areas that needed to be taken down to allow for a better fit. Then I took it out and using the six inch sander I took some off. Back in it went, more marking, more sanding until it fit close enough, 1/32" or so. Using the sander I then took the top of the brace down to the level of the stringers. Out came the brace, epoxy on the edges and the hull, a coating of peanut butter and it was pounded back down. Excess peanut butter squeezed out and was pushed into the remaining gaps.
Work followed on the vertical piece of the tank. I cut two more nailers to go on the front side, glued and screwed them into place. The vertical piece got it's lower edges and the underside of the nailers coated in epoxy and then peanut butter was put on the bottom edges. I drove two 4d nails in the stringers right at the marking line just to hold the lower edge of the vertical piece in place. The vertical piece was then carefully put in place and two pieces of tape were applied to hold it upright. The squeeze out was removed and a fillet of peanut butter was put on both sides of the vertical piece. Last a strip of 4oz fiberglass was applied to the stern side of the vertical and blocking to tie them together.
The last thing to be worked on was the vertical piece for the rope locker. It needed an inspection hatch. Now you can buy these pre-made, but since this one doesn't need to be watertight so I decided to make my own. I laid out the lines for a 12" by 12" hatch and cut it out. Then I cut a piece of plywood 1/2" wider all the way around than the hatch dimensions and cut a hole on the inside 1/4" narrower than the hatch dimensions. A little sanding, some glue and screws to hold it in place while the glue dries, two hinges and a latch and Voila'! a hatch! Coated the faces and edges with epoxy.
Cleaned up my stuff which had gotten scattered all over the shed and called it a night.
10 Hours