Bulkhead fillet

With the hull seams filleted and taped, I next turned to the bulkheads and hanging knees. These were filleted with peanut butter thickened epoxy, with the bulkheads being filleted on both sides. This will give great strength to the hull, and will also form watertight compartments in the bow and stern. To apply the fillets as neatly as possible, I used a gallon zip lock bag with a small hole snipped in one corner (after it had been reinforced with clear packing tape) as a sort of piping bag such that a pastry chef might use to decorate a cake. This allowed me to lay down a controlled bead of epoxy at each joint, which was then smoothed into rough shape with the rounded edge of a large tongue depressor. After allowing the epoxy to partially set up, I returned and gave it a final smoothing with a gloved finger wetted in alcohol. This gives nice smooth fillets that will require less sanding later on. Total hours: 16.00.

Bow fillet and tape

After a brief hiatus for a trip out of town, building of the Mill Creek 16.5 resumed. Today's job was the fillet and taping of the bow compartment. With a now familiar procedure, the joints were filleted with peanut butter thickened epoxy, followed by a fiberglass tape overlay. This was then wetted down with the layer of unthickened epoxy. Doing a neat, smooth job was difficult, especially in the very tip of the bow, for one such as me with less than dainty hands. But tight quarters notwithstanding, the joints were sealed and glued, thus completing the preliminary gluing of the hull. Total hours 15.25.

Cockpit tape, part II

Today I completed filleting and taping the joints on the port side of the cockpit area. Even after the practice of the starboard side, the identical job tonight went no faster. It is tedious work to get the epoxy fillets in place with reasonable neatness, overlay the tape, and wet it down with epoxy and then smooth wrinkles and remove air bubbles from under the tape. However, the job is done. While others may be able to produce neater fillets, mine should look decent under the painted finish I have in mind for the interior of this copy of the Mill Creek 16.5. Total hours: 14.25.

Cockpit tape, part I

I tackled the filleting and taping of the cockpit today. Or tried to- things went slower than I had expected, so I ended up just doing the starboard side of the boat. As previously, a fillet of thickened peanut butter epoxy was laid down on the joint between each panel. I then overlayed the fillet with glass tape I had previously cut to length. Each side required three lengths of tape to fit between the hanging knees on the upper joint between the sheer panel and the bilge panel. I cut the lower tape in one piece, and merely cut a notch to accommodate the lower edges of the hanging knees. After getting the tape in place, I wetted it down with unthickened epoxy. This took a surprisingly long time, as I worked to get all the air bubbles and wrinkles out of the tape. Total hours: 13.00.