Order for Hull Fairing

[Jamie Coleman]

Beginner question here, but I’m getting ready to install bulkheads, and the instructions say to fair the bulkheads before glueing them in or installing blocking. I would think the bulkheads are going to be moving around if not glued in and supported, leading to a poor fairing.  What would be the reason for that order and what would be downside if I glued them in first?

[barkeater]

Jamie, that is a puzzler. I don't see why or how you would fair bulkheads unless they were glued in place since they need to be faired in relationship to one another. Blocking you can either install before fairing or after fairing and the fair them in. I prefer putting the blocking in first and just fair once.

[Jamie Coleman]

It does call for them to be installed in the bulkhead former, just not glued in until done fairing.  I think I’m going to deviate from the instructions and glue and block first, as you describe.  There’s really nothing I can’t sand or shape just because it’s glued up.
 

 

[turangi]

I recently built Model Shipways Picket Boat. The fairing lines were laser marked and I used a belt sander to do an initial fair before installing them and a final hand sanding once installed, saved a lot of hand sanding! See post #3 in this thread.   

 

[wefalck]

The fairing will be an iterative process. The bulk of the fairing, particularly where the waterlines form a steeper angle with the bulkheads, is easier done on the bench, than when the bulkheads are installed. The final fairing, using a spline batten, should be done with the bulkheads firmly installed.