The starboard bow inside deck is glue on. To be able to do this I first had to cut the doorway through to the toilet cubicle so that I could get inside that section to fill the gaps with glue. I will of course need to be in there to cove and glass the panel on also. The hull to deck panel is still sitting on the boat. I will need to remove it to get to the front 2 sections to cove and glass that area. I need help to lift it down as it is just too long for 1 person to handle.

I am particularly pleased with “The Alter”. It is a good compromise and solution to the space problems in the ensuite. Ironically I think the mast will not be in the ensuite (and robe in the port hull) but behind bulkhead 4 not in front of it. So the mast tubes are at the front corner of the bedrooms. With doors on (and closed), the alter will stay dry when people want to use the ensuite as a shower. The further forward in the hull the more movement there is on the boat so being a small space will help with staying on the toilet in rougher conditions. I am yet to decide if I will angle the back (most likely) and how I will work the doors. I had considered roller doors to save space but they bring with them mounting issues. Hinged doors will work well enough.

So to keep moving on the build I decided to glue the bow top on even though I have not taken the hull to deck panel off yet. It is getting very cold in the shed in the late afternoons so the open time on the glue is quite long. Because the hull deck panel is still in place I used it to to act as a stop and I just lifted the inside edge of the panel straight up and put a plank under it to hold it open while I buttered glue onto all of the bulkheads. Once all the bulkheads and hull panel had glue on them I simply lowered the inside of the panel down again so that it is glued into place without moving from side to side and smearing the glue off the bulkheads.

I then ran the 2 ratchet straps around the bow either side of the forebeam then screwed tabs into the hull joins to flush the panels to each other. Then screws into the bulkheads along the centreline. Once the panel was pulled down into place well I squeezed glue into any gaps both inside and outside and I then used my finger to create a cove of glue wherever I could reach inside the boat. Finally to finish I filled glue into the joins around the forebeam. I still have a section on the top to do but I need to get inside the hull to fill that from the inside as well as the outside.

Hopefully tomorrow I will catch the guys at the shed (I have been getting there after they have left for the day the last few weeknights I have worked and they were not in this weekend) and have them help me lift the hull deck panel off so I can glass it all in.

Next (after the glassing to finish the starboard bow panel) is the foredeck and catwalk. (I am not sure which is first yet! Catwalk first then foredeck around it or foredeck first then catwalk glassed to the outside of it).