I had a thought last night concerning the use of wood vs pliable bulkheads. I am sure everyone is aware of the problems and benefits of each type since this has been addressed multiple times. Here is my solution. Form a wooden bulkhead that fits tight to the inside of the deck and several inches past the shear into the hull (to about the water line). At that point leave a 1/4 inch gap along the bottom of the hull. The bulkhead will be attached above with epoxy and tape. To seal the bottom gap, it would be filled with either silicone caulk or butyl caulk. This should produce an asthetic bulkhead that has some give in the event the hull is flexed by impact.

What do the experts think about this plan. I would like to hear positives and negatives before I try it. Better yet, maybe someone else could try it and let me know if it works incase my plan is a complete failure .