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Old 11-09-2022, 21:24   #1
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Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

I am helping a friend with his P27.


Would like to remove the port side companionway bulkhead for better access to the diesel.



All the screws are out and the bulkhead can be shifted fore and aft a bit in the slot it sits in, but only as far as the slot goes.

my guess is I would bow this bulkhead enough that it will eventually pop out of the slot.

Is this the case or would I need to cut it to get it out? That really isn't an option.

The reason we want to remove it is see if we can JB weld the crack in the side of the Westerbeke diesel.

The diesel runs beautifully, but once it gets up to temp, it leaks coolant through this crack. I have seen a number of youtube videos where people salvage the engine by spackling over the crack with JB.
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Old 13-09-2022, 10:42   #2
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

It’s a small engine and a good welding shop can probably fix it so you can get years more out of the engine.
Take them a picture. A good job means no worry about the motor overheating .
What if the patch fails and the motor is toast.
Lot of work but less worries.
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Old 14-09-2022, 05:29   #3
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

Welding would be the best fix, but a bit more expense and work.

I think it's worth spending a bit of time and maybe 10 bucks to give the jb weld a shot.

The bottom line is even if the repair fails, we can run the diesel the 5-10 minutes needed to motor to the dock before it even has a chance to come up to temp.

It's not like we're gonna be asking the diesel to motor us down the ICW for hundreds of miles.
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Old 14-09-2022, 06:04   #4
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

A lot depends on where the crack is located. The cooling system might or might not give you notice in time. Let’s say the epoxy works for awhile but eventually fails. Cooling systems are not simple. You might see the temp gauge or hear the alarm but things happen fast and if you don’t catch it quickly...what then.
There are a thousand quick fixes on big boats and ships but I’ve learned to ask the question of what is the downside of failure.
A new engine is what..$10,000 and a full rebuild $5,000?
Lot of work to take it out. Weld it or a new block but then you know what you have. It’s difficult to weld blocks...make sure the shop can do it correctly.
Look. We don’t enjoy telling people to take the more costly way. We’ve just have seen too many fix it cheap ideas fail.
The manatee crew.
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Old 15-09-2022, 06:25   #5
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

I get what you're saying.

If this was a 50 foot bluewater boat, spending the money to do it right would be money very well spent.

But this ain't that boat. It's a small boat that may never leave Long Island sound. If it fails, you sail it close to home and get a short tow back to the dock.

Actually, there are a pair of oars onboard. We'd likely not even need the tow.


Any thoughts on popping out the bulkhead?

Being a fairly small diesel, it might make sense to just yank for better access.

Thanks for your advice.
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Old 15-09-2022, 13:40   #6
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

A boat without a motor is a lot more of a hassle and more danger. No wind, too much wind, lee shore...you know the rest. Selling it? Not many buyers.
I get your point. Your choice. Just trying to help.
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Old 15-09-2022, 16:39   #7
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

PeteC said: "Would like to remove the port side companionway bulkhead for better access to the diesel."

Are you talking about the fore'n'aft bulkhead twixt the engine compartment and the bunk or whatever else is outbard of the engine compartment?

If so, can you not cut an access hatch in the appropriate place on the bulkhead using a jigsaw, and then "repair" the access hole just by screwing an oversize "access hatch" over it with tiddly little s/s oval headed screws with finishing washers under their heads?

As you say, the boat is not a gold-plater :-)

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Old 15-09-2022, 16:59   #8
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

Cut it carefully with regard for how you will repair the cut when you replace the bulkhead. If you pull it hopping that it will "pop" you may wind up with broken wood which will be more difficult to repair.

As for your proposed repair, any crack in a water jacket under pressure should be welded, not patched with epoxy (JB Weld).
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Old 15-09-2022, 19:49   #9
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

Ah you want to remove the bulkward without destroying it, right? Probably not possible it was set in place and sandwhiched.

JB Weld is not going to fix the motor. It’s like spraypaint over rust. It may hide the problem temporarily, but that’s all.

It’s an inexpensive boat with a big repair. Right way to do it is pull the engine. Or just use it only when you need it till it blows. Skip the JB weld.
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Old 22-09-2022, 18:49   #10
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

So all the youtube vieos of rednecks jb welding their SBCs are just some dastardly plot to get me to blow up this engine?

We did take it out last weekend.

We motored out of the harbor at very light throttle, maybe a half mile. Sailed around for a few hours then sailed in under partial jib, then motor the last 1/4 mile or so. Leaked a maximum of a half cup, if that. We had a few gallons of coolant on board if needed, but didn't.

The most impressive of the youtube JB patch jobs was one where they drilled a hole at each end of the crack, tapped the holes and threaded in bolts. They then JBed over it and cut off the bolt heads flush at the JB.

Their reasoning was that the drilled holes would keep the crack from spreading further and also the bolt gives the JB more to hold onto.

As for the bulkhead, I think what we plan to do, IF we do need the access is cut it in a straight line, a few inches above the deck. We can then use a strip of plywood which overlaps this cut a few inches either way and screw it all together. If this strip is on the engine compartment side of the bulkhead, it will not look too horrible.

Or I may just listen to the wiser heads here and yank it and bring it to a welder. I would think that if you bring it to him, it shouldn't be terribly expensive.
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Old 22-09-2022, 20:23   #11
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Re: Pearson 27 bulkhead removal

There’s an industrial process called “Metalock”, where the entire length of the fracture is drilled and tapped, usually on cylinder heads but also on crank cases and heavy castings. Alternatively you could simply drill 4 holes into the crankcase, tap them and screw a plate over the crack using maybe the JB as the medium to fill the contours and the fracture, just be careful not to drill through an oilway or liner wall. Did the coolant freeze up to cause the cracking or was it a mechanical failure?
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