Cockpit area fillets completed!

I have completed the fillets in the cockpit area as it pertains to the upper side panels seatback supports.

I tried the blue tape before, but didn't have good luck with it. I tried it again and I am still so so with the method. I think I am not getting the tape close enough to the size of fillet I am making, but it does help with cleanup.

I didn't like the fit of the Rear Cabin Wall, so I removed it completely and used a plane to remove some wood so it would sit better against the decking. Even though I used a level, the outside stringers that support the decking were about 1/8-1/4 inch higher on the outside than they were in the middle. By removing some of the wood, it enabled the Rear Cabin Wall to sit flush against the decking board all the way across.

The manual tells you to do your best work on that fillet and I think it was one of my better ones! I allowed the fillet to cure and then applied a piece of fiberglass tape and wetted it out. The manual said this would give the strongest connection.

I also moved the rear cabin wall back towards the stern about 1/4 inch, so that the seat back boards would fit better. This is going to leave a sort of shelf on the inside, but I plan on doing a fillet on the inside and rounding it over. This should actually make the joint stronger.

Above is the rear cabin wall with the fiber glass tape laid out. 

The fiber glass tape wetted out. 

I have completed all the fillets in the cockpit area. I need to let them cure and then apply fiber glass tape to the different areas. Mainly on the upper side panels. 

Upper side panel with fiberglass tape. Still need to put another 2 coats to completely fill the weave. 

Port side fillets. I did fiber glass the joint between the upper side panels and the rear cabin wall. 

Starboard side view of the fillets. Things are curing now. 

I did start on the inside joint for the rear cabin wall and the side panels. If you look closely, you can see where I pushed the rear cabin wall back about 1/4 - 1/2 inches.

I still have the bow area to do fillets and then the actual inside of the cabin. I just have tack welds in place now. It is surprising that the fillets take as long as they do, but they are coming along.  I have worked on them for multiple sessions. 

Working too much and tack welds!

I have been working a lot here lately including weekends for some big work projects. In my day job I design Telephone systems. It pays the builds, so a necessary evil! 😀

I did mange to get both upper side panels adjusted and tack welded. I had to redo a lot of the quick work I did to get them on the boat. It is not easy moving 16 foot pieces around. I should had gotten some help, but my wife was out of town.

Once I got them adjusted, I mixed up a batch of thickened epoxy in a pastry bag and applied tack welds all the way around on the upper side panels and backseat supports. I used some denatured alcohol on my finger to smooth them out.

Below you can see a few pictures. I am not sure if I had removed the wires in the pictures, but they are gone.

Bow section tack welds. 

Inside cabin area tack welds. 

I still need to tack weld the rear cabin wall, but I wanted to adjust the location of it before.
This weekend, I plan to do the fillets over the tack welds or as much as I can. I think I might try the tape method for the fillets to catch the overflow. I tried earlier on in the build, but didn't have too much luck.