Installing Two Bulkheads - How To Anchor Them to their Footings ?

[James Dieterich]

I am refitting a 27 foot Bayliner Buccaneer Sailboat. I am installing two bulkheads, one at the mast and another where the cockpit meets the cabin. I know to glue a foot along the entire circumference of the bulkhead to disperse any pressure points and to firmly anchor the bulkhead to the foot. This is where the question lies. Do I drill sections through the bulkhead and glass “strands” of epoxied resin through the holes to anchor? Do I create a lip on the footing and bolt and glue bulkhead to that? Lastly, do I just glue the bulkhead to the footing (least amount of work but probably the least sturdy as well). Thank you for your interest.

[GordMay]

Bulkhead Tabbing ➥ Pearson 10M Bulkhead Tabbing

See also: ➥ http://www.westsystem.com/ss/assets/...ebulkheads.pdf

And: ➥ http://www.lackeysailing.com/daysail...bulkheads4.htm

[sabray]

On way is to use a foam like airex . Cut the foam in strips maybe 2. 1/2" and glue these to the hull where the bulkhead will sit. This eliminates the hard spot contact. You tab the bulkhead in using cloth that is maybe 3" on the surface of the plywood and then bring the cloth over the foam and onto the hull. You do the entire edge where the plywood meets the foam

[SkiprJohn]

Gord's diagram works well but I used foam instead of the epoxy filler and I did not taper the ply. Tapered ply makes it look prettier though.
kind regards,

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Gord's diagram works well ...

The drawing is NOT mine, but from Dan Pfeiffer's linked webpages.

[roverhi]

The important thing is to keep the bulkhead from making direct contact with the hull. You don't want a hard spot and it's a point of entry for water into the endgrain of the bulkhead.

We just shaped the bulkheads and furniture so it had aproximately 1/2" minus stand off from the hull. Then glassed in the bulkhead with at least 6' overlap onto the bulkhead and hull. Did both sides for the bulkheads, usually single sided for the horizontal furniture pieces. Laid up at least three layers of matt and cloth using polyester resin. It's held up without a problem for over 35 years and three trips to SoPac including a hurricane off Fiji. I tried the foam thing but it was a royal pain in the butt to mill the foam, cut the bulkhead to fit and keep the foam in place while glassing. Doesn't seem to be worth the effort.

Another amateur builder did drill his bulkhead and threaded cloth through the holes and then glassed over it. Seemed like a lot of hassle for not much return. Think you'd be further ahead to use Epoxy resin to bond the bulkheads.

[Tempest245]

Gord,

Thanks for the link to Lackey Sailing....what a wealth of information and craftmanship! I can't wait to see the completed Fisher.

[Blue Stocking]

Tapering the bulkheads accomplishes 2 things. It allows the tabbing to finish in line with the surface of the ply, but more importantly, IMO, it facilitates bonding to multiple veneers, and not risking 1 veneer delamination.

[SkiprJohn]

Yes, I always use epoxy resins.
kind regards,

[SaltyMonkey]

nice thread. thanks for the info everyone