1991 - 28: Bulkhead Delamination?

[dmdiehl64]

Hello,

I'm looking into a 1991 28' TR which appears, at least over photos, to be in decent shape (have not seen in person yet). When asked of any looming issues, the current owner mentioned that there is separation in one of the bulkheads in the bilge between the fiberglass and wood core. He claims it's been this way since he purchased ~10yrs ago.

To me this seems like a red flag, but I have not seen pictures and I'm also not intimately familiar with the construction of the bulkheads / hull.

Any thoughts or experience with this?

Thanks!
David

 

[jssailem]

David,
If this is an expensive purchase for you, it might be time to get a professional opinion to view the condition.
The owners understanding may be or may not be accurate.

On issues that involve the strength and soundness of a boat, the costs to correct such issues usually are expensive.

 

[dmdiehl64]

Thanks John.

I would say the asking price is on the lower end of the market from what I'm seeing. Would definitely want to have a survey completed before purchase. Was more so just wondering if something like this has the ability to propagate further throughout the hull or if it would be a localized issue based on the construction of the bulkheads.

 

[jssailem]

Good question.
Most boats are designed as an open shell mold. Imagine a bowl and you layer the hull fiberglass against the inside of the bowl. Then you flip it upside down, pop the fiberglass out and you have a boat hull. Now you need to strengthen the hull so the sides do not collapse inwards. You place something (a bulkhead) stiff across the middle to keep the sides standing up. You attache the bulkhead to the hull often using tabs of fiberglass on both sides of the bulk head, like tape glassing the bulk head to the hull.

So propagation is not your worry. What is the challenge is if you have rotten wood the bulkhead no longer is capable of holding the hull in place. And so often you have all this additional stuff in the way that you will need to remove to get at the piece you want to fix. That is what takes the time. Time is what cost money in boat repair. If you do the work, you can value you time.

Many boat owners will not choose to spend their time rebuilding a boat. They who'll rather spend more for the boat and spend their time out on the water. Some enjoy the "challenge " of "buying cheap (or inside a limited budget)" and remodeling the boat. It is a complicated issue. Some projects never get onto the water, some turn out to be works of art, or at the least the pride of the boat owner. That is where it becomes a personal decision.

I guess you would say I am a bit of the project dreamer. I bought a 1974 built boat and with the help of some money, friends, and sweat am turning it in to a pleasant boat to sail the waters of the PacificNW. I know that what has been completed on the boat is sound and seaworthy because I have been involved. We each choose our own poison.

 

[dmdiehl64]

Great insight, thanks!