Closing up the bow

The process of closing up the bow is similar to that for the stern.  The biggest difference is you can't really reach the bow on the inside, so it is not taped internally.  Rather, the edges are taped prior to covering the bow opening.

 Once the edges start to cure, and after all other inside work is complete (especially the bow pad eye), a pre-glassed plate is glued over the bow opening.  We used a thick putty made from cabosil (to prevent running) and microballoons (to fill all gaps).  We buttered both the hull edges and the plate with putty to ensure both were strongly adhered to the putty. Then we pressed the plate on and let the putty squeeze out.  I used a few screws to hold the plate in place until the epoxy set.  Note the scribbles on the outside of the plate to remind me there is still peel-ply on this surface.  Without the scribbles, it would be easy to forget to remove the peel-ply prior to exterior lamination.  The result would be rapid de-lamination, and a bad day.

Here is a view of the bow from the inside after gluing on the plate. Note the excess putty squeezing in around the seam.  It is not practical to clean it up or add tape.  I find it very difficult to leave it like this, but there aren't many options.  And this is the method Ian Farrier suggests in his building guide.  Being at the bow, it isn't noticeable from the access ports in any case, unless one tries to look for it.

The last step in closing up the bow is to reinstall the temporary access port in the bow deck.  Though difficult to see in the photo, I started by adding a glass epoxy skirt around the foam cut outs.  By letting the glass set up on the deck, it forms the proper shape to fit the inside contours.  Once set, I will use a thinner putty with extra cabosil to glue the skirt around the cut out to the inner hull.  Then the seam will be filled with putty for fairing.  The inside of this cut out will not be accessible so the skirt is the only option for adding inside reinforcement.  Unfortunately, the weather headed south (or more accurately north) with record setting cold. So final installation will have to wait for warmer days.