Keel Fillets After Turning the Hulls
I’ve reorganised the workshop and started making the keel fillets, using a runny epoxy and microfibre mix to fill the gaps between the backbone, bulkheads and hull sides. A thicker layer and glass tape will follow.
Workshop reorganised and tidied up so back to work on the boat!
First step after turning the hulls (after the step ZERO - checking if the hulls are standing square and level) is to make keel fillets.
First layer of these fillets is made with runny (“ketchup” consistency according to West System guide) mix of resin and microfibres. Mixed as much microfibres as possible to keep it pouring from a silicone beaker I’m using for it - somehow I always make a mess with a plastic bag!
Consistency proved just perfect, runny enough to get through small gaps between bulkhead, backbone and hull side to the other side filling them perfectly - but stopping after a couple of inches in narrow space.
And that’s the point - to fill all the gaps left between backbone and hull sides.
Later a second layer of thicker mix will be applied and shaped with spatula to make sure a glass tape can lay smoothly on it as that will be the final touch on these keel fillets - a layer of glass bonding both elements.
If it won’t get too hot (now it went up to 27.5, ) I’ll get working on floors (templates were made before I even put the hull sides…) and some other plywood elements.
That was the point of reorganising the workshop- now I have almost 2 meters wide space between hulls (full 13 meters long!) for other work and space around the hulls.
Good 5 hours of work this morning, some more will come in the afternoon.
On a video - before (on the right) and after (on the left). In the middle the top side of the backbone.
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