Wannabe Bulkhead

[jimmythekid]

The original "cabin walls" on both sides were not glassed in. I am thinking of glassing the new ones in. Just tabbing them in. to attach to the hull. At least to the hull sides and floor. Good idea? Bad idea? whattaya think??<br /><br />if you click my shareaproject link, i have pics of what i am talking about. There are two of them, at the very bottom

 

[Mark42]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

Jummy,<br /><br />My take on it is this: The piece of bulkhead you show in the pictures does not look like it will offer much in the way of structural support if glassed in. The two large holes and thin perimeter make it look like a piece that will crack in the corner areas under stress or just flex. <br /><br />How about glassing in a 2" piece of plywood down the side of the hull, like a flange, then you can through bolt the bulkhead to that? Not for sturcture support, but for ease of mounting and removing at a later date. <br /><br />Mark.

 

[Laddies]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

Jimmy looks like your doing a great job on the boat, but as far as the bulkhead remember that it a boat cann't flex it will crack, so maybe it was built that way on purpose---Bob

 

[jimmythekid]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

the holes in the original piece shown, serve no usefull purpose any more. The original piece is 1/2 inch thick plywood. I was thinking of making the new piece out of 5/8 thick with no holes, solid from top to bottom. I am not sure why someone cut holes in there in the first place. maybe for access to the dash wiring from behind? I am going to make the dash panel removable for access. The large hole in the middle served no purpose at all, there was just a piece of plywood covering it up. Also before I started work on this boat, the windshield supports would pop out of the sockets when going over a big wave. I contributed this to the all the rotted wood in there. Just putting these pieces in there tempoarily, gives much needed support fot the top deck, especially where you can walk thru the windshield. Maybe the hull has to flex at this point and thats why they didn't attach it to the hull in the first place? If I did decide to glass it to the hull, would that possibly create a stress point? Causing problems for me down the road (down the water) I was just thinking if it was glassed to the hull, the boat would be alot stiffer, could that lead to another problem all together? I may just make them removable, like they were, but i have all this resin and cloth left over........ Maybe I am just trying to over engineer the stupid thing

 

[jimmythekid]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

laddiesservice where from in michigan are you from?<br />I am originally from Grand Rapids

 

[Bondo]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

I can see where that pc. of plywood would offer Alot More support than you'd think, Even being skeletonized..........<br />I can Also see where your new panel would offer even more support..........<br />tightening up the hull flex will no doubt cure the windshield problem.......<br /><br />My old tin boat, when I redid it, I used Aluminum Tubing to build the bulkheads,+ semi-bulkheads.... Around the perimeter, with gussets at the top corners,+ with a flat plate, 6"s X the width, accross the bottom, a couple inches up....... I filled the "Hole" that was left with a couple pc.s of 5/8ths ply, just because I had it laying around....<br />The Only Job I've ever seen these "Panels" do is, Hold up the vinyl covering,+ FM radio...... The 1/2" Tubing,+ Gussets do All the Work.......<br /><br />I Think that I'd Glue those new panels In, Lot's of Glass,+ Fillers...... Feather the joint as Wide as reasonable, on the hull..........Spread the load as much as possible......That bi-axial would work Great..........<br />On the bottoms it looks like they're just off the little bulkheads under the floor.... That's Not the best thing, but you can work around it...... Maybe a creative Fillet, Super-Sized............... <br /><br /><br />Boat Looks Great, BTW...........

 

[jimmythekid]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

thanks guys for the kind words. The new piece will not have any holes cut into it like the pics show now. I am used to working with Steel so forgive me if my terminology is off but...<br /><br />the helm station is cast into the top deck. The vertical piece was only attached by screws to the helm and to the floor with a 2x2 screwed to the floor and the piece screwed to the 2x2. It is like this on both sides starboard and port. i want to build it like it was except i want to glass it all in, basically to "weld" everthing together. If I do this, the boat will not be flexing at all, nowhere, it will be the strongest point in the whole boat. does the top deck have to "float" independently from the rest of the boat for some reason? I just don't really want to rely on "wedge action" to support the top deck.

 

[G DANE]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

Jimmy, I did exactly what you propose, when rebuilding my boat ( still going on ). I started with laying 2 layers of 4" wide band of mat/poly on inside of hull to avoid creating a point where the gelcoat will crack from a little flexing up to this new supported point.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

Ayuh,.... I'd "Weld" it.........<br /><br />The Only reason I can think of to leave it "Floating" is, So you could Remove the top deck..........

 

[Laddies]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

Jim I live 30 miles south of the Mackinaw Bridge. I used to spend alot of time a my aunts place in GR---Bob

 

[jimmythekid]

Re: Wannabe Bulkhead

Aight, I am gonna "weld" it I will let y'all know how it goes, should have it close to done this weekend. No reason to remove the top deck, so... thanks guys, Jimmy<br /><br />Bob: Very nice country up there. I used to spend alot of time on Fife lake. Nothing tastes as good as Northern Michigan Walleye IMHO mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm