Just purchased this boat for cheap because the owner is moving out of state. It looks decent for what I paid but it’s definitely a project. The “bulkhead” or as I would call it the wooden wall that cover the toilet area has been removed and that does worry me. It doesn’t look like it could have had much to do with the integrity of the hull to me personally but I know nothing about the subject. I’m curious what you guys think on that. The guy says the 8hp Renault runs fine, he has an impeller for it that he never got around to putting in. Im wanting to do whatever tune up/maintenance on the motor I can to help ensure it’s in good shape for this summer. Im open to all suggestions there. And I have winter weather coming in quick and I’m not sure of what I should do winterizing wise. Really any advice about this boat is welcome. I have zero sailing experience, but a strong desire to learn.
1st Sailboat. 1983 Hunter 27
- Thread starter Sgraves94
- Start date
Welcome aboard! Lots of good info on the site.. here is a link to your boats info:
Hunter resources, by model (sailboatowners.com)
Again, Welcome..
Hunter resources, by model (sailboatowners.com)
Again, Welcome..
Congrats on the new boat, sailing is a lifestyle. Pictures of the missing bulkhead would help people determine if it's structural or not. As far as winterizing, you definitely should get on that - the pressurized water system, the head and the engine's raw water cooling need to be completely drained (everything) or you need to add "potable" antif-freeze to them. There should be plenty of info on this site about that but ask any questions you have. I'm sure you realize what damage freezing water can do to your boat.
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A guy at the local sail club said he doesn’t believe it to be structural. He knew the original owner of the boat (he has passed away) but it’s been there since the 80s and he owned it until death. Said he wasn’t sure if the motor was a closed or open cooling system so I’ll go check on that this Friday. There is no other water In the boat that I know off. All the sinks and what not are turned off and bone dry. The RC8D motor is my main concern. Everything else looks pretty good minus some painting, cleaning, woodwork and reinstalling of panels. And I’ll go through all the electrical systems as well which I feel comfortable with, my profession is an industrial instrumentation and controls technician, so that’s my wheel house so to speak. I just hope I can actually motor the thing out of the marina to begin experimenting and learning to sail.
My guess - the mast compression post takes most of rig loads. The missing bulkhead looks like it would take some compression load from the hull reacting to the downward force on the mast compression post by narrowing. Personally, I would put it back or replace the missing bulkhead, but that's me.
Fred W
Fred W
I think that IS structurally important for two reasons.
Getting a bulkhead back in place without removing the deck is tough but I've done it once before on a Coronado 23. I had to make the bulkhead in two pieces with overlapping segments in the middle. Glue... through bolt until gule sets and then remove the bolts...Here is a side-view of what I'm trying to descirbe.
You will then tab the edges of the bulkhead to the hull with fiberglass tape and some resin. Here are some pics of the job I did...
I covered my bulkhead with carpet tile to make it look nice but over the years I have come to really hate carpet on boats. I would not do that again. I would cover it with something else like a quality headliner material or vinyl. In this example, the bulkhead fit into a groove on the hull's surface so I did not need to tab it... I did lay a bead of glue down in the track to get a tigh connection between the bulkhead and the hull.
- If I'm not mistaken, the mast sits right above that area and the bulkhead stiffens the deck and prevents flexing from forces that the mast (a giant lever arm) might place on the deck.
- Bulkheads stiffen the hull and help dissipate twist flexing of the hull.
Getting a bulkhead back in place without removing the deck is tough but I've done it once before on a Coronado 23. I had to make the bulkhead in two pieces with overlapping segments in the middle. Glue... through bolt until gule sets and then remove the bolts...Here is a side-view of what I'm trying to descirbe.
You will then tab the edges of the bulkhead to the hull with fiberglass tape and some resin. Here are some pics of the job I did...
I covered my bulkhead with carpet tile to make it look nice but over the years I have come to really hate carpet on boats. I would not do that again. I would cover it with something else like a quality headliner material or vinyl. In this example, the bulkhead fit into a groove on the hull's surface so I did not need to tab it... I did lay a bead of glue down in the track to get a tigh connection between the bulkhead and the hull.
A little info which you may already have seen.
Forward Bulkhead Removal
I removed the starboard forward bulkhead from my 1980 hunter 27. (the large one that separates the head and main salon. It was warped from some compression, I think from a lightning strike years ago. I am wondering how important this structure actually is to the overall integrity of the cabin...
forums.sailboatowners.com
Wow, thanks man. This is pretty insightful.I’m going to definitely try and replace it with something, my hope is that since I’ll only be doing light lake sailing, I’m not in serious danger. And with the seriously small amount of money I purchased the Hunter for I don’t want to get to carried away hiring professionals to do much work. I am confident I could get something shaped in there to do better than nothing at all though. Im really just wanting to get the boat ready to sail by April or May. Im gonna have some more experienced sailors take a look inside the boat and give me some advice. Im joining the local sailing club and they seem already to be very willing to help and have personal knowledge of the boat because it was a founding Members boat back in the 80s and has been there every since!
Thanks for the reply!
I’m getting power turned on at the slip asap. I’ll try to get the batteries off there and see if they will hold a charge and start testing stuff such as the water pump. I have other batteries I’ll put in there before the winter weather comes
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,338
Welcome to the SBOforum. My beach chair opinion agrees with your stated intent. In the words of Yoda to Skywalker. “Do or do not, there is no try.”
The bulkhead is there to maintain the integrity of the hull. There really is no metrics for “light sailing “. Bulk heads help the hull maintain its shape. With out it the hull can fold inwards on it’s self.
Looking at the weather forecast for Iron mountain marina area, you do indeed have some serious cold temps coming in. Don't forget the head (toilet), in addition to the holding tank and uptake hose when you are winterizing. Although it appears your marina is on a sizeable lake, it is fresh water. I am somewhat surprised boats remain in the water there during the winter.
Congratulations on your "new" boat! From our 24 seasons of experience, it is an ideal cruiser for a couple, can take four close friends for a week long cruise, and daysails easily with a crew of 6-8.
About replacing the bulkhead, I quote my comment from the thread referenced above: "I would replace the bulkhead. Although it does not carry the direct load of the mast, it is a key stiffening member in the structure of the boat. The bottom end of the side shrouds are pulling _up_ with about 3 tons at the toerail. (The other ton is at the bow and stern.) Also, the bulkhead will be important if you get caught in heavy seas, and the hull is straining with twisting and bending forces." I also agree that you should unstress the hull by taking the mast down while replacing the bulkhead or doing any other structural work. I would use marine plywood for the bulkhead itself. It can easily be replaced with two pieces, joined at the compression post at the centerline as you install it. You want the bulkhead to fit as tightly as possible to the hull - the cabin deck, the sides of the boat, and the overhead of the cabin. Then, I would glue in wedges where the bulkhead does not follow the hull exactly after installation.
Fair winds and following seas in your new boat!
Later note: Not sure where Iron Mountain Marina is. But if your use of the boat will be on an inland lake, not the Great Lakes or the ocean, serious waves are much less likely. So I might consider leaving the bulkhead out on the assumption that the stress on the hull will be less than on more open water where longer fetches generate bigger waves. (We have sailed our h-27 comfortably in 6 footers on Lake Erie. I wouldn't want to do that without the bulkhead in place.)
About replacing the bulkhead, I quote my comment from the thread referenced above: "I would replace the bulkhead. Although it does not carry the direct load of the mast, it is a key stiffening member in the structure of the boat. The bottom end of the side shrouds are pulling _up_ with about 3 tons at the toerail. (The other ton is at the bow and stern.) Also, the bulkhead will be important if you get caught in heavy seas, and the hull is straining with twisting and bending forces." I also agree that you should unstress the hull by taking the mast down while replacing the bulkhead or doing any other structural work. I would use marine plywood for the bulkhead itself. It can easily be replaced with two pieces, joined at the compression post at the centerline as you install it. You want the bulkhead to fit as tightly as possible to the hull - the cabin deck, the sides of the boat, and the overhead of the cabin. Then, I would glue in wedges where the bulkhead does not follow the hull exactly after installation.
Fair winds and following seas in your new boat!
Later note: Not sure where Iron Mountain Marina is. But if your use of the boat will be on an inland lake, not the Great Lakes or the ocean, serious waves are much less likely. So I might consider leaving the bulkhead out on the assumption that the stress on the hull will be less than on more open water where longer fetches generate bigger waves. (We have sailed our h-27 comfortably in 6 footers on Lake Erie. I wouldn't want to do that without the bulkhead in place.)
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I appreciate the reply very much. The removal of the mast seems out of reach for me before this season kicks off. It might be a mistake, but I’m going to try and rebuild the bulkhead with the mast in place and see how it goes from there. Lake degray is a medium sized lake in Arkansas that doesn’t get really any kind of wave action at all. Pretty easy going water most of the time. Obviously I want to be safe but I’m pretty comfortable on this lake and this boat is my first stepping stone to a life long journey of sailing. I want to do it right but I also want to be sailing by this spring and have limited time and resources to have the boat ready by then. I’m really just hoping I can get the motor good to go. I originally thought it was a Renault but it’s actually yanmar so im having to restart my research on that. My previous owner had attempted to replace the impeller but never finished it. The claims and I believe him (seems like a good guy) that he had started the motor a couple times last august. That makes me hopeful. I just really would like to get her out on open water and start experimenting, seeing if I can’t figure out how to catch some wind one or another.
If you cannot take the mast down, then you can loosen all of your stays the same number of turns, until they all are a little loose. The mast itself is less than a couple of hundred pounds. But the six side stays around the bulkhead pull the mast down (and the toerails up) with over two _thousand_ pounds of force! I'm sure that one role of the bulkhead is to stabilize the hull against this constant stress all the time. Then when the work is complete, you can tighten the stays the same number of turns.
What @David in Sandusky said
and maybe Jack the area right under the mast about an 8th inch before starting the replacement.
and maybe Jack the area right under the mast about an 8th inch before starting the replacement.