Tabbing Primary Bulkheads & Prep Sanding

March 9, 2019

I began the day by water-washing the previous session's epoxy work: glueing in the starboard primary bulkhead.  I dry the surfaces well, and then began some spot sanding to further prepare for the fillets required on the bulkhead.  While I had the sanding equipment out, I continued on to the v-berth platform, and sanded this surface down to the original gelcoat.  I then made my way to the foredeck, where I had cored, with new bottom and top skin, a previous repair that was not executed well.  I had cut out the previous repair attempt, leaving a gaping hole in the foredeck, and then enclosed it with a proper repair.  I removed the peel play layer that was protecting the laminate, and then proceeded to rough sand the outer perimeter.  There is fairing work to be done here, but that would have to wait for another session.  With the sanding completed for the day, I moved onto to general clean up of the interior, and then scratched out a list of tabbing lengths and locations for the primary bulkheads.  My list in hand, I made my way over to the shop and cut the individual lengths of 1708 biaxial "tape" that I would need to tab in the bulkheads.  With the lengths cut and labeled, I cleaned up the surfaces in the boat and then wet them out with straight epoxy resin.

I worked in sections: first, the aft side of the starboard bulkhead, and then the forward side; I then moved over to the aft port side , and then the forward side of that bulkhead.  The tabbing is in place, and will now require some sanding and light fairing work.  More on that later.

Total Time Today: 5.25 hrs