Concern over light shining through glass where deck hull joins

[End80]

A knowledgeable friend made an unofficial inspection of my boat (a Grampian 26) to point out to me anything needing to be attended to. Overall, he said everything looked pretty good, but said the bulkhead at the bow in the vberth was not attached at all, and that the other two bulkheads should be attached or tabbed to the side walls of the hull..
Anyway, later I went back to the boat to take some video, and while I had my head stuck in the bow to examine what he was talking about, I noticed light shining through the fiberglass around the deck hull joint, and it doesn't look right to me at all.. however, this is my first boat, and I'm not very knowledgeable about such things.

The first minute shows the unattached panel, and after that the light shining through the hull is shown:

I posted this on the Grampian owners Yahoo Groups and got two replies: "That's normal. I have yet to see a G-26 where you couldn't see the light through that area you refer to.. ..All I had on mine was a bulkhead with a cutout opening in the centre. It wasn't fastened along the sides so it allowed a bit of hull flex when pounding through 4 metre waves during a race."

And another reply saying: "Fibre glass is translucent and gelcoat and paint can light through too... ..Your boat made it this far with the bulk head as it is so unless you plan to do some sailing a novice should never do like sail into a hurricane or cross the bay of Biscayne it might not need make the top of your list."

Although they tend to indicate that neither the light shining through, nor the unattached bulkhead shown in this video is a problem - I can't help but have my doubts, so I'm here asking for a second opinion.

Any advice or comments appreciated

 

[Davidasailor26]

I agree with the other response you got that the light through the hull is not nescessarily a cause for concern. It's not uncommon for sections of un-cored fiberglass hull to let light shine through.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Fiber glass IS ,after all, glass. Unless the hull is painted a dark color, ALL fiberglass will allow light to shine through..

No thoughts on the bulkhead

 

[End80]

Ok.. So if it were your boat, you wouldn't worry about adding any glass reinforcement to that area? Right?

It looks to me like the matting didn't reach up to the area in question

 

[rgranger]

If it were my boat, I'd tab in the bulkhead and paint over the light shining through.

 

[Ken Cross]

Every boat I've owned did that in one place or another. It's fine unless it bothers you to see the light. Normally from normal use in the cabin you should not notice it. If so cover it up (paint?, cloth liner? etc.)

Ken

 

[kloudie1]

Wouldn't worry about either one. Many boats have untabbed bulkheads.. almost all have a place where light will show through the translucent glass/plastic (we call fiberglass). The untabbed bulkhead was designed to be that way .. yes, it may stiffen the boat a bit were you to tab it in.. but not needed in normal use.

 

[End80]

Well, you all have eased my concerns and fears, but I think I'm going to do a little glass re-enforcement of the area, and tab in that small bulkhead this summer anyway. It would make me feel better to do that prior to installing some installation and adding cosmetics to the interior. And it's not like a little glassing in there is going to be much of an expense.
If I didn't do it, then it'll end up being one of those things that needle around in the back of my mind.
But like I said, your comments and opinions have assured me that it's not a major problem to be concerned about - and that's always good to know.

 

[End80]

The untabbed bulkhead was designed to be that way

Why would it be designed that way?? -

 

[rgranger]

Why would it be designed that way?? -

Keeping coast down. I had a MacGregor 22 with an untabbed bulkhead. It was connected to the hull using ss L-brackets. When I replaced it, I tabbed it in at a few key points.

 

[rgranger]

Putting in a few tabs would only take an hour or so from start to finish. But if the boat lasted this long without them, I would not worry about it unless you plan on some longer passages.

 

[Apex]

bilge paint....sorted.....

 

[MrBill_FLL]

I redid and added quite a bit of fiberglass mat and some roving to a macgregor.
I felt it needed it.
I also painted the bilge white. looked better and easier to see small things.
make it yours!

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Here's a perfect example. I'm currently working to close up an old instrument hole in a customers boat. That bulkhead is 3/8 thick, tapered to 1/8 in center,filled with a 1/8 plug, then it has 32 oz of glass on the outside, and 24 ozs on the inside, plus the old bulkhead. See how much light shows through??

 

[sloopdreams]

I have a grampian 26 and I see the light through the hull at the deck joint. It's not a structural concern. It's fairly common for boats of that era.
With regard to the bulkheads, it is correct that they are not tabbed to the hull. They are 'floating' bulkheads. It's something like a press fit. Unless, the bulkheads are showing signs of rot, like at the chain plates, chances are the bulkheads are fine.
It's good to get to know your boat by checking all that might be wrong with it and it's easy to spend hours worrying about it (I have), but in the end, it's more fun to just go sailing.