Sounds like a Chesapeake?

-then yes, remove the stick as soon as you have the bulkheads in place.

   Yep! Chessie 17. That little detail probably would've helped.

I pulled the stick out and everything looks great. Not having done this, I half-expected the sheers to snap shut like a bear trap and take the bulkheads with them. LOL. In reality, that 1/8" closed up slowly and everything seems snug and straight. 

Many thanks for your help. I'm sure I'll be back on these boards in the near future... Onward to epoxyland!

As another person who just completed a chesapeake 17 LT after 15 years, I have a couple of tips for you if you have not heard these already:

1) Test your epoxy out on something else and make sure it is still making a good strong bond.

2) Get a current copy of the manual.  The manual and instructions have evolved over the years.  At the time of my manual/kit (year 2000), glass was not included for the deck!  End pours were done by placing the boat vertically.  And lots of other little details.  I also noticed that the beam measurements as well as other plan details on the chesapeakes have changed slightly over the years.

3) have alot of gloves and clean up rags available.  Having a helper on the messier epoxy steps assist you in various tasks will keep your hands cleaner for longer, and make the process go alot smoother and faster.

   Thanks, OlyWa! My epoxies are much newer than the kit and seem to be performing well.  And yes, I've noticed some discrepancies with the written plans vs. the videos and current online info. In fact, I was just coming online to ask why it didn't seem like I had enough fiberglass in the kit... now I know!  

 

While you are at it, go ahead and also glass the hatch covers and the coaming lip.  Following the directions, I did not glass either on my Chesapeake builds and I wish that I had.  I got rolled in the surf and the shell fragments on the beach scratched the top of the boat.  The scratches on the deck did not get into the wood because of the glass covering and were easily repaired with a litle sanding, epoxy and varnish.  The scratches on the coaming and hatch covers deeply penetrated the wood through the epoxy (no glass) covering.  I would also suggest that you consider going with flush hatches.  If you order the flush hatch kit, it is just as easy (maybe easier) than the standard Chesapeake hatches, and they are certainly better looking.

Here is by 3+ year old Ch17LT, which got a skeg, and paint/varnish touch up last week.  It looks better than the day I completed it, except for some battle scares on the front hatch cover and coaming lip.

   Nice boat Mark! There's some inspiration for me! Yours is pretty much the paint/varnish scheme I'm planning as well, but I'd like to stain the deck a bit darker. After sitting in the shed for 15 years it got a small stain/watermark from something right up near the bow and I think that'll even it out better. 

Good advice on the hatch covers. I'll definitely glass those as well, when the time comes. 

   Nice boat Mark! There's some inspiration for me! Yours is pretty much the paint/varnish scheme I'm planning as well, but I'd like to stain the deck a bit darker. After sitting in the shed for 15 years it got a small stain/watermark from something right up near the bow and I think that'll even it out better. 

Good advice on the hatch covers. I'll definitely glass those as well, when the time comes.