Main Bulkhead Work

I have been trying to do several small projects in parallel.   One of the recent projects are the main bulkheads that are at both ends of the main cabin.   These stations have reinforcing planks where the aka cross beams will bolt through the hull.

The unfinished area in the middle gets cut out of the companionway after the bulkhead is in the hull. Until then, it is an extra bracing support.

The bulkheads are large enough that they came from two pieces of plywood.  After gluing the puzzle joints, I have coated both sides with three layers of epoxy.  The epoxy then got sanded back as smooth as I could get it, so it is now ready for final finishing.

The reinforcing planks will get epoxied to the bulkheads before being placed on the strongback.  The planks were shaped from templates that I had made a few months back.  I recently dry-fitted them to the bulkheads with screws through the back.  This allowed me to get the alignment correct and bore holes for the aka bolts.  The screw holes will get filled with epoxy later.   They will mar the less visible surface of the bulkhead a bit.   The screws will be used to accurately locate the planks when they are slick with glue and to help with clamping.

I left the epoxy coating off of the gluing surface of the bulkheads.  This will give an area for a primary wood to wood bond.  Probably not that critical, but it can't hurt.

The hole through the bulkhead gets a similar treatment to the akas.  A G10 tube is inserted and then there is a 75mm cplate washer that the bolt will tighten against.

Task time: 20 hours

Total project time: 331 hours