serious bulkhead rot!

[bugbitten]

I was doing my usual job of ignoring important things and looking for a home for that HVAC unit I covet, when I uncovered some major bulkhead rot in the cabinet opposite the head. I'm surprised the starboard chainplate hasn't started to pull out, it's so bad. It seems to be just the part right around the chainplate and maybe a bit below, but all above the shelf that's in that cabinet. I've taken an icepick to the others and they seem solid. My go-to guy for this sort of work has a four to six month backlog. Can I anchor that side with a halyard, remove the stay and chainplate, cut out the rot and glass in a new piece? I guess the question is "should I?", since I've not done that sort of thing before. I hate to be kept off the water interminably while I await a hole in a professional's schedule to open up.

John

 

[woodster]

I was doing my usual job of ignoring important things and looking for a home for that HVAC unit I covet, when I uncovered some major bulkhead rot in the cabinet opposite the head. I'm surprised the starboard chainplate hasn't started to pull out, it's so bad. It seems to be just the part right around the chainplate and maybe a bit below, but all above the shelf that's in that cabinet. I've taken an icepick to the others and they seem solid. My go-to guy for this sort of work has a four to six month backlog. Can I anchor that side with a halyard, remove the stay and chainplate, cut out the rot and glass in a new piece? I guess the question is "should I?", since I've not done that sort of thing before. I hate to be kept off the water interminably while I await a hole in a professional's schedule to open up.

John

john is it the upper shroud chain plate knee or a lower one that is bad

 

[bugbitten]

john is it the upper shroud chain plate knee or a lower one that is bad

The upper (center) one.

 

[bugbitten]

While on the subject, I'm assuming my standing rigging is original and, once my guy's schedule clears, I'm hoping to have him replace all of it. While I'm waiting, I'm tempted to order new chainplates. If anyone's done that recently and can steer me toward their provider, that'd be great. Of course, if they had 9.2A plates done and these folks might already have the measurements, that'd be even better. Or are there enough individual variations that I'd need to measure all of mine?

John

 

[woodster]

John you can repair this yourself and you can also get your standing rigging at a good price and savings from SECO south of you are willing to un step your mast

 

[woodster]

As for the chain plates they may still be good if not there is a place in Valdosta ga that can make them for you they are all the same so you only need to send one

 

[bugbitten]

As for the chain plates they may still be good if not there is a place in Valdosta ga that can make them for you they are all the same so you only need to send one

Being near the shipyard, there are all sorts of metal shops that could probably cut the chainplates right here, for that matter. There's been some debate over what metal to use, the preference being a specific grade of SS. Any thoughts on that?

 

[bugbitten]

John you can repair this yourself and you can also get your standing rigging at a good price and savings from SECO south of you are willing to un step your mast

Hmm. Ben and Danielle Zartman, of various sailing mags fame, were here in my marina for a while. Ben unstepped his mast right there in slip. I guess I should've watched. Of course, he's half to one third my age!

 

[woodster]

Being near the shipyard, there are all sorts of metal shops that could probably cut the chainplates right here, for that matter. There's been some debate over what metal to use, the preference being a specific grade of SS. Any thoughts on that?

Use 316 ss and polish it to mirror finish

 

[woodster]

Have the yard in step it a store it on saw horses so you can remove the cables and send them to the rigger shop that making the new ones

 

[woodster]

Un step ...dang iPhone changing my words lol

 

[bugbitten]

I seem to recall that, if you pull a chainplate and dangle it from a hanger or some such, and it rings when you strike it with a hammer, it's okay? Or I could run the one from the rotten knee to the metal shop and they could probably tell me. I'm guessing if that one's okay, the others would probably be, too.

 

[woodster]

I seem to recall that, if you pull a chainplate and dangle it from a hanger or some such, and it rings when you strike it with a hammer, it's okay? Or I could run the one from the rotten knee to the metal shop and they could probably tell me. I'm guessing if that one's okay, the others would probably be, too.

its best to check every one individually and not assume anything if you have any pitting or corrosion showing you may need to replace it i was able to use my 36 year old ones as they polished out ok ...i didn't go to the expense of having them x rayed but if you have source for that service it would take all the doubt away i used die penetrant and developer on mine and that was a far as i went i had the kit left over from a previous welding project so i used it

 

[justsomeguy]

I seem to recall that, if you pull a chainplate and dangle it from a hanger or some such, and it rings when you strike it with a hammer, it's okay? Or I could run the one from the rotten knee to the metal shop and they could probably tell me. I'm guessing if that one's okay, the others would probably be, too.

You'd be guessing, alright. Use a good magnifying glass, jeweller's loupe, whatever, and visually inspect it.

 

[bugbitten]

I think I've got a guy who'll help me do the knee repair. I'll go with that and stick with the old rig/chainplates until the spring. I really need to have her hauled sometime this year (probably sooner rather than later) as the bottom paint is four years old and hardly qualifies as such at this point. I'll have the mast unstepped then and get a bunch of stuff done while I have access. I'll take the chainplate that's disconnected during the knee repair and get a quote on six new ones. If it's not too horrific, I'll order them to have on hand when we tackle the rigging.

In the meantime, back to finding a home for the HVAC! Have I mentioned that the new water heater is working superbly? At least it is since I moved the heater's thermostat from the factory's 80°C to a less formidable 40°C!

John

 

[woodster]

I think I've got a guy who'll help me do the knee repair. I'll go with that and stick with the old rig/chainplates until the spring. I really need to have her hauled sometime this year (probably sooner rather than later) as the bottom paint is four years old and hardly qualifies as such at this point. I'll have the mast unstepped then and get a bunch of stuff done while I have access. I'll take the chainplate that's disconnected during the knee repair and get a quote on six new ones. If it's not too horrific, I'll order them to have on hand when we tackle the rigging.

In the meantime, back to finding a home for the HVAC! Have I mentioned that the new water heater is working superbly? At least it is since I moved the heater's thermostat from the factory's 80°C to a less formidable 40°C!

John

on that knee it may well be just the outer layer of 3/4 plywood that is bad if so just remove it and cut a new piece exactly like the old one and glass it in with west system ...grind all the surfaces before glassing and drill the new holes after it is set using the original holes that are left in the other part you didn't remove ....that temp you set it at is about 110 degrees FH that should do it if not turn it on down some but remember that when heating by the engine it will get much hotter if you don't have a tempering valve you will get scalded by the engine heated water so its best to have a tempering valve

 

[bugbitten]

on that knee it may well be just the outer layer of 3/4 plywood that is bad if so just remove it and cut a new piece exactly like the old one and glass it in with west system ...grind all the surfaces before glassing and drill the new holes after it is set using the original holes that are left in the other part you didn't remove ....that temp you set it at is about 110 degrees FH that should do it if not turn it on down some but remember that when heating by the engine it will get much hotter if you don't have a tempering valve you will get scalded by the engine heated water so its best to have a tempering valve

The guy who's helping me is a professional. I think the plywood is rotted all the way through, but we'll check it. I've got a gallon of West System on hand. Time I put it to work.

On the water heater front: the water came up from 47°F to 135°F in about 30 minutes on shore power (an advantage of only heating five gallons!). It held steady at 135 (despite the 40°C setting) for two hours. The 135F seemed a good compromise. I do have a tempering valve I may add to the system to prevent scalding when the engine's run for a lengthy period.

Thanks, Woody. You're the best.

John

 

[Mark Maulden]

Befor u rip things up, do u know what caused it? U might want follow the trail to see what the root cause was. Otherwise it could happen again??

 

[bugbitten]

Befor u rip things up, do u know what caused it? U might want follow the trail to see what the root cause was. Otherwise it could happen again??

Good point. I'm assuming it's due to failed bedding around the chainplate cover. I've got butyl tape I'll reseal it with, but I'll keep my eyes on it to be sure.

 

[woodster]

Good point. I'm assuming it's due to failed bedding around the chainplate cover. I've got butyl tape I'll reseal it with, but I'll keep my eyes on it to be sure.

Mark has a very good point there.... John...you will more than likely have to core out the deck around that chain plate and back fill with thickened epoxy as it is coming through a cored area and it would be best to check all the others too as they all come through cored areas i re did all mine with thickened epoxy and left 1/16 to 1/8 gap around the plates in order to let the bedding compound squeeze in there