Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

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Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby John in CC on Tue Aug 26, 2014 10:40 am

I am about to install bulkhead #2. I am considering glassing one or both sides before installing it. My thinking is that I may put a removable tabernacle (or even if I don't) the extra strength might be nice. Either way, glass or not I have seen plates visible inside the companionway to beef things up that I figured I would put in for good measure. Not sure if the glass on the bulkhead is overkill.
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby craig on Tue Aug 26, 2014 10:47 am

I don't see the need: the bulkhead feels pretty secure, and it will be supported on all sides by the floor, sides, and cabin roof. Fiberglass and epoxy is expensive and heavy though, so I'm just going to add a strip of tape on the bulkhead/cabin roof seam.
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby John in CC on Tue Aug 26, 2014 11:13 am

I think you are right. I am going to seal with epoxy and sand before installation just to make the sanding a little more manageable...unless someone talks me out of it : )
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby craig on Tue Aug 26, 2014 11:24 am

The manual isn't clear on this, but it does say to epoxy and sand all the bulkheads (in addition to the floors) prior to installation, which I definitely recommend. Sanding things in the boat is such a pain.
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby Bflat on Tue Aug 26, 2014 2:57 pm

Don't forget that the floor cleat on bulkhead 2 has been a bit of a problem for people. If you put it where indicated it ends up being about a 1/2" too high. On a related note, I waited to install the floor cleats until after all the floors and bulkheads were glassed in and sanded. It made glassing and sanding there a relative "breeze." Adding the floor cleats later worked out just fine. Thanks to Truenorth for that tip.

Running a straight edge across the floors after they're installed will show just where the floor cleat on bulkhead 2 should go.

Bob
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby John in CC on Tue Aug 26, 2014 4:36 pm

On the floor cleats I put two coats of epoxy and sanded them. They are wired in but not epoxied in yet. Are you guys glassing the cleats before installation? They will be easy to take out now and redo.

I have run a straight edge on the floor cleats and they look good...just have not run the straightedge forward to one on the bulkhead. Thanks for the tips!
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby John in CC on Tue Aug 26, 2014 5:56 pm

Looks like my cleat on Bulkhead #2 is 5/8" too high. : ( Thanks again for the heads up. Easier to correct now than "in the boat".
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby John in CC on Tue Aug 26, 2014 7:14 pm

Planed off the cleat that was too high until I got close to the plywood...

Image

Sanded the remains of the cleat after planing. Good quality plywood with a thick veneer is really nice in these situations.

Image

Epoxied on a new strip (only lower!)

Image

Epoxied on a new strip (only lower!)

Thanks guys. This would have been a brutal job if the bulkhead was glued it!
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby John in CC on Tue Aug 26, 2014 8:54 pm

Bflat wrote: On a related note, I waited to install the floor cleats until after all the floors and bulkheads were glassed in and sanded. It made glassing and sanding there a relative "breeze." Adding the floor cleats later worked out just fine. Thanks to Truenorth for that tip.



Bob


Bob, I am concerned about glassing the floor and then adding the cleats on top of the glass is that I would be losing the "floor/over the filet/up the cleat" one piece of continuous glass connection. Here is a picture from the Jeff Hatch pictures https://www.flickr.com/photos/35243545@N02/3303796773/in/photostream/ oh, and by the way, these pictures and boat are incredible! I refer to them a lot. Thanks Jeff if you are out there reading!
Last edited by John in CC on Wed Aug 27, 2014 9:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Bulkhead #2 Fiberglass?

Postby truenorth on Tue Aug 26, 2014 9:36 pm

John in CC, you don't 'glass over the top of the cleats. You stop the 'glass just below it - which is a complete PITA if the cleats are installed. So there's no worry about losing that support. The cleats there only support the sole. This was a tip I passed on from another builder. Another advantage of waiting is you can size the cleat to your build. There will be areas just longer, just shorter, just higher, etc and putting the cleats on later will help correct for that.

Note that in Jeff's photo, there's blue tape where he will use a razor to trim the 'glass. In other words, he's not 'glassing over the top of the cleat. And yes, Jeff's work is probably the most amazing in DIY boatbuilding history, not just PocketShip. Mere mortals will have to settle for less!
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