Deteriorated bulkhead - bottom 4 inches

[Nopstad]

This spring I bought a 1976 E-27, hull number 912, boat name Cantata, in Bayfield, Wisconsin. The surveyer report says that the cabin bulkhead has had water damage due to a leaking upper starboard chainplate. The recommendation is to cut off the bottom 4 inches of the bulkhead, and fit in new wood. It says that the bulkhead provides structural stability to the hull, and so must be reinforced. Has anyone had experience with this issue, or any ideas?

Also, does anyone have any advice or tips about rebedding the chainplates?

Thanks,

Neil Opstad

 

[Chad and Sandy]

bulkhead replacement

Hi Neil,

We had the same problem on our '77 E25. I guess I never thought about replacing the bottom 4" of the bulk head. I just replaced the whole thing. My biggest problem was what type of wood to use. I called Bruce King for enlightenment but he didn't know if they used teak or mahogany. Trying to find either in La Crosse, Ws., a little south of you, is a little hard and needless to say very expensive. I took a chance and went down to Menards and bought a sheet of 3/4" luan ply. Now I know that the original is 1/2" but they don't make luan in 1/2" sooo I used the old bulkhead as a template and then routered out what I needed to make it fit into the flanges. Now this isn't marine grade ply so I stained it with golden oak stain(my favorite) then varnished the ba -jeeses out of it and you know what? It looks just like the old wood.

I hope this helps you out. Let me know how it turns out.

Fair winds and full sails,

Chad

 

[rwthomas1]

Not to rain on anyones parade but I would NEVER use luan on a boat. The glue used to make it is not waterproof and it could delaminate. A better solution for those on a budget is exterior grade plywood. Commonly used for sheathing houses, etc. it will not delaminate if it gets wet. The difference between exterior grade plywood and true marine plywood is that the finish on the exterior grade is usually C-D as in bad and worse on each side respectively. Marine ply, I just bought a sheet is usually A-C or A-B that is very nice on one side and slightly worse on the other. Supposedly all the voids in marine ply have been filled and the inner layers grain pattern are clocked differently from the surface to increase strength. If you cannot find a decent piece of exterior grade then there are suppliers that will ship to you. www.boulterplywood.com is one of them.

Regarding the repair. You could cut out the damaged area and simply cut a new piece that fits. Fit closely, filled with thickened epoxy and a couple of layers of glass cloth on each side it will be plenty strong. This will obviously be unsightly. If the panel to be replaced is a visible part of the interior it would be best to replace the whole thing. Do it right, the boat is valuable and an incorrect repair will decrease the value and integrity of the boat. RT

 

[Chad and Sandy]

Bulkhead repair

Hi Rob,

What you say is VERY true but at the time,8 to 10 years ago, money and time were in short supply. We also weren't "on line" like we are now which makes finding things like this so much easier. I suppose I could have sealed it with a layer of resin but I didn't. In the long run,8 to 10 years, it has held together. Next time I will use the good stuff...I promise.

Fair winds and full sails,

Chad

 

[rwthomas1]

Chad,
You do what you have to to get by! Believe me, I understand that. I speak of ideal situations which time/money don't often allow. I am glad it is holding together for you and hope it continues to do so. My post just tries to steer people towards the most correct solutions. And the advice is worth what you paid for it! RT