The rear bulkhead pieces with their second coat of epoxy. This second coat is a skim coat intended to fill the weave and provide a smooth surface. After trimming the edges of the glass, make some epoxy, pour it on, spread it out with the small plastic spreader, spread it to the edges with a brush and then using the medium size spreader make long lengthwise sweeps to level out the epoxy just above the surface of the weave.
Tomorrow these will get flipped and fiberglassed on the other side. Now these sides had about 20 hours between coats, but that's not necessary. In reality all you need is to wait until the first coat has stiffened, a couple three hours or so, and then the fill coat can be applied.
I also installed the third rear deck piece.
I pulled the screws from the hull side supports and coated them again with epoxy as well as coating the edges of the deck piece. Then it was peanut butter on all the surfaces (and in the screw holes). Set one end of the piece down and lower the other end in. Screws along the stringers and into the hull side supports and then I pushed peanut butter in the gap between the two original deck pieces and the third.
I'd say the belly tank is now permanent. ;-)
Tomorrow will be a peanut butter fillet day around the edges of the rear deck and side decks. I may try to get fiberglass on the rear deck, but there's still the fairing in that bent corner to do and that will need time to set up. We'll see what else comes up, I can't make any sawdust until all the epoxy cures.
2.5 Hours