bulkhead talk

[Abrain]

Im thinking about an installation of a new v birth bulkhead but need some pointers. I am after a water tight version of bulkhead. My plan is as follows:

• Use local wood in either tong and groove hardwood planks or a good grade of plywood.
• Covering either in 8 oz cloth and epoxying it all together.
• I wanted to adhere it to the hull buy cutting small slivers of glass cloth with scissors into a batch of epoxy / resin making a mash-paste. Brush this mash between the bulkhead and hull.
• Next coats I would use fiberglass cloth with increasing widths.

Any concerns? Ideas?

[barnakiel]

On our boat the bulkhead does not stick to the hull. There is a gap and the bulkhead is tabbed on both sides.

b.

[ozskipper]

Sounds good. How water tight? and what size ? The more water against the bulkhead, the greater the stress load on the ply (which is the stronger of the two). Otherwise, your plan will work.

Remember, You will need to remove any gelcoat or flowcoat on the inner hull surface to bond everything too.

[roverhi]

If you use the glass mash between the hull and bulkhead, you'll be creating a hard spot which could cause a failure of the hull laminate and/or print through. Leave a gap between the bulkhead and the hull of a 1/2 inch or more. Use glass cloth to tab it to the hull. If you are careful, that will seal the bulkhead. If you are going to install a hatch in the bulkhead, tab it on both sides.

You should make provisions to ventilate and drain the forepeak/chain locker so it doesn't turn into a rot/mold paradise or stay full of water from probably leaks.

T&G doesn't have good strength in all axis. Use plywood for the bulkhead.

Don't think a water tight bulkhead in the bow is all that useful. Most boats sink from rudder damage, shaft log failures, and side glances off of hard objects. If you truly want to make the boat unsinkable or at least have a chance of surviving a collision at sea, best to make a water tight bulkhead at the V berth bulkhead and another to seal off the engine room and aft end of the boat. Have fun doing it cause it will be a PITA to accomplish.

[Abrain]

Originally Posted by roverhi

If you use the glass mash between the hull and bulkhead, you'll be creating a hard spot which could cause a failure of the hull laminate and/or print through. Leave a gap between the bulkhead and the hull of a 1/2 inch or more.

I was told that this is true if the hull of the boat is of lesser quality.

[roverhi]

If you do the strand thing, you are asking the hull laminate to flex over a very small area. Especially a problem towards the bow which takes a literal beating going to weather. You might get by with it but why do it when you can accomplish the water tight seal just tabbing the bulkhead in.

We built hull #163. Doubt that you'd gain anything by making a water tight bulkhead at the chain locker in a Westsail except a lot of unnecessary work. Ventilation will be a major issue as there is virtually no way to seal the deck if you are going to use it as a chain locker. We didn't on our boat. Chain was stowed under the forward berth via PVC pipe from the windlass. Westsails are effected by weight in the ends!!!