I need to replace my aft cabin bulkhead due to the dreaded plywood rot...not to bad for a 22 year old boat. I remember one or to members replaced theirs but I can't find any info about them with the search tool. Can anyone on the board tell me if the bulkhead is structural and supports the cabin roof and hardtop? There is a interior trim piece that extends from roof to v-berth and was extremely difficult to pull out. It seemed like the roof has already sagged some putting pressure on it. The weight of the hardtop and mounts is forward/aft of the mounts and near the edges, so I don't think that it will be an issue. Should I shore up the roof prior to removing the bulkhead or can just unbolt is and make a new one? I have decided to use MDO painted with epoxy paint, being careful to seal up the edges. I don't see a good reason to use marine plastic, as she is already 22yrs old and will need a new transom in the next couple of years. I like her alot, but plan to replace her in a year or two.
Aft cabin bulkhead replacement
- Thread starter bondstreet
- Start date
Yep, the duratrim or wood paneling. It is basically plywood with some sort of thin formica covering it. It is rotten from the bottom up to about two to three inches.
some guys have used ply, some used starboard....I would use a high quality marine ply like Okume or Meranti...looks like mahogany, strong, rot resistant etc.....MDO?? Not really a marine product....in either case, epoxy the edges before installing so it won't absorb moisture through the end grain. Some guys needed to jack up the helm a little as it drooped and made it tough to put the new piece in, but nothing serious.
Let me guess, it was the one that cover this area that was hard to pull out...
I had the same trouble pulling it out of a 204 I'm working on so I could try to reach that dang thru-hull burried back there. I ended up removing all the teak trim pieces from along the side of the v-berth and that allowed me to kind of wiggle it out. I doubt that particular trim piece had any structural value, but you never know.
I would definitely say that the bulkhead is structural though, so supporting the cabin top will help you get the old one out and the new one in.
If it were my boat, I would use regular (non-marine) ply and glass/gelcoat all the edges and both sides. Overdrill all your screw holes and then refill with thickened epoxy. That will keep water out of the wood.
I had the same trouble pulling it out of a 204 I'm working on so I could try to reach that dang thru-hull burried back there. I ended up removing all the teak trim pieces from along the side of the v-berth and that allowed me to kind of wiggle it out. I doubt that particular trim piece had any structural value, but you never know.
I would definitely say that the bulkhead is structural though, so supporting the cabin top will help you get the old one out and the new one in.
If it were my boat, I would use regular (non-marine) ply and glass/gelcoat all the edges and both sides. Overdrill all your screw holes and then refill with thickened epoxy. That will keep water out of the wood.
Brian,
That is exactly what I was talking about. That trim piece is terrible to get in and out. I currently have the port section removed and there wasn't any pressure on it but I was concerned the starboard side might hold the weight of the helm and the cabin roof. While I have the boat apart, I am going to try to change the thru-hull also. Might just as well do as much as possible now while it is apart. I think I might put a littlle pressure on the roof using a couple of 2X4 braces across the bottom and top, then us some shims inder another verticle piece to lift the cabin roof. If I have to remove the brace while I change out the thru-hull it should be fine. Did yours sag? How do you plan on getting to the thru-hull on the port side. I have the locker pulled out so I can see the thru-hull but can't get both hands in there to loosen things.
That is exactly what I was talking about. That trim piece is terrible to get in and out. I currently have the port section removed and there wasn't any pressure on it but I was concerned the starboard side might hold the weight of the helm and the cabin roof. While I have the boat apart, I am going to try to change the thru-hull also. Might just as well do as much as possible now while it is apart. I think I might put a littlle pressure on the roof using a couple of 2X4 braces across the bottom and top, then us some shims inder another verticle piece to lift the cabin roof. If I have to remove the brace while I change out the thru-hull it should be fine. Did yours sag? How do you plan on getting to the thru-hull on the port side. I have the locker pulled out so I can see the thru-hull but can't get both hands in there to loosen things.
No sagging that I noticed. I think that piece is too far towards the side to hold the center up. I even tried pushing up on the roof while removing that piece of trim and it didn't seem to make a difference.
I'm still working on the thru-hull access problem. I tried to put the new ones in over the weekend and couldn't for the life of me get them tightened. Getting the old ones out was easy. After removing the hose clamps, the hoses slid off no problem. Then I just grabbed the thru-hulls and literally snapped them in half. They broke right where the head meets the threads.
I was able to reach in and get a pair of channel locks on the new thru-hulls, but there's a small brace right there next to them that prevented me from getting a good angle to tighten things down. You may be able to see them in these pics.
The helm/fish box drainage in these boats is a horrific design. I think water actually has to run uphill in order to drain because the boat sits with a bow-up attitude. Last time I checked, that didn't work so well. My old Sailfish was the same way. If this were my rig, I would glass in the holes in the hull, abandon the helm drains and re-engineer the fish box drains. I'm not sure the owner wants to pay my slow @ss to do all that though...
I'm still working on the thru-hull access problem. I tried to put the new ones in over the weekend and couldn't for the life of me get them tightened. Getting the old ones out was easy. After removing the hose clamps, the hoses slid off no problem. Then I just grabbed the thru-hulls and literally snapped them in half. They broke right where the head meets the threads.
I was able to reach in and get a pair of channel locks on the new thru-hulls, but there's a small brace right there next to them that prevented me from getting a good angle to tighten things down. You may be able to see them in these pics.
The helm/fish box drainage in these boats is a horrific design. I think water actually has to run uphill in order to drain because the boat sits with a bow-up attitude. Last time I checked, that didn't work so well. My old Sailfish was the same way. If this were my rig, I would glass in the holes in the hull, abandon the helm drains and re-engineer the fish box drains. I'm not sure the owner wants to pay my slow @ss to do all that though...
Do you want an extra hand? I recall that someone used a handled tool to turn the outside while someone else held the nut on the inside. E-mail me with your number if you want some help.