Bertram31.com General Bulletin Board

Re: rear bulkhead

Posted By: Capt Patrick McCrary
Date: Thursday, 6 January 2005, at 6:45 a.m.

In Response To: rear bulkhead (Randy Morris)

Randy,

Actually, plywood is still one of the best choices for a large structural bulkhead and will give many, many years of good service if done properly.

The key is to fully seal the wood in epoxy prior to installation and use only epoxy to tab in the glass at the hull joints.

The aft bulkhead on Jim Bailey's B31 was done using two 1/2 sheets of BC exterior plywood, sealed with epoxy, and laminated together with epoxy thickened with cabosil. Both sides of the bulkhead were then laminated with heavy Formica style laminate, them installed with epoxy & 1708 biaxle fiberglass where tabbing was needed. A 2" strip of plywood was left exposed where the hull tabbing was to be done.

The cabin to bulkhead joint was accomplished with both screws and thickened epoxy, (no glass), making the entire 1+" bulkhead fully structural and totally water proof. Also seal with epoxy the exposed ply in the window & door cut outs...

Best regards,

Patrick

Messages In This Thread

rear bulkhead
Randy Morris -- Wednesday, 5 January 2005, at 9:42 p.m.

Re: rear bulkhead
Capt Patrick McCrary -- Thursday, 6 January 2005, at 6:45 a.m.

Re: rear bulkhead
Capt. Dave Kosh -- Thursday, 6 January 2005, at 10:22 a.m.

Re: rear bulkhead
Capt Patrick McCrary -- Thursday, 6 January 2005, at 10:30 a.m.

Re: rear bulkhead
captdana -- Thursday, 6 January 2005, at 10:23 a.m.

Re: rear bulkhead
Capt Patrick McCrary -- Thursday, 6 January 2005, at 10:45 a.m.

Re: rear bulkhead
David Robinson -- Saturday, 8 January 2005, at 5:01 p.m.

Re: rear bulkhead
Randy Morris -- Monday, 10 January 2005, at 8:42 p.m.