The couple pics don't look like much has changed but at this point the keel is about 57% poured and glassed. The keel is complete from the stem to bulkhead 4 and started from BH4 to stern post. Also bulkheads 1,2,3, and 4 are properly filleted in place to the height needed at this stage. This stage of the build is epoxy intensive, I've gone through 4 gallons of epoxy, 5 or 6 pounds of hardwood flour and a couple yards of 12oz biaxial 6inch wide fiberglass tape. In total I've used up about 15 gallons of epoxy since the beginning of the Tiki build. But not all of that was used on the Tiki. Last spring I built a Tear Drop camper and dipped in to my epoxy stash a bit:)
I also finished off my supply of Douglas Fir making the lower hull stringers. After installing the bow buoyancy compartment stiffeners I modified the way I make the stringers/stiffeners. When installing the port and starboard stringers/stiffeners are pushed outward to give the hull a fair curve. Well this puts quite a bit of pressure on the stringer/hull side joint and forces a lot of the epoxy out of the joint. Epoxy joints are supposed to have only light clamping pressure or else a weak "dry joint" will result.
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| The bow stiffeners wedged apart to give the proper curve. |
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| Completed bow with extra fillets on the stiffeners. |
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Modified stringers/stiffeners.
I used the router table with a 1/2" mortise bit to cut the epoxy channel. |
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