Bow twist

[Dmksails]

Need advice. I'm wiring in bulkheads 1 and 2. I see that there is a slight twist in the bow as measured across the top of the hull and across the top of BH1 - they both show the same amount of twist - the port side is about 1/4-in high.

Is this something I need to address now or will it likely sort itself out when I do the top? Thanks!

Twist1.jpg (166.68 KiB) Viewed 47754 times

Twist2.jpg (115.7 KiB) Viewed 47693 times

Twist3.jpg (69.3 KiB) Viewed 47825 times

[dbeck]

Hi DMK,

the manual says to install bottom panels, then side panels, bulkheads last. Some builders deviate from this order. We installed bottom panels first, then bulkheads 4..7, then side panels, then bulkheads 1..3.

The shape of the bow is complex. I remember we had a hard time especially stitching the side panels at the bow and the joint between bottom and side panels about 1-2 ft behind the bow. In that process our bottom panels bent a bit below bulkhead #1 (if one looks closely, the pictures in the manual seem to show the same for for Pocketship #1). Stitching our bow and bulkheads #1 and #2 required some iterations and several days.

My advice would be to install and stitch-in the side panels and bulkheads #1 and #2 and then see / measure if the bow and the rest of the boat is symmetric; only start tack welding in the area forward of bulkhead #4 after you are satisfied.

To my experience asymmetries don't sort out by themselves but lead to follow-up issues further down the road.

Dietrich