Bulkhead Strengthening

[petecasey]

Hey All,

I have a 1972 Islander 36, and they’re known to have issues with the bulkhead tabbing. I’m thinking that the bulkheads that hold in the chainplates are too weak and I’d like to strengthen them by adding another layer of wood, then reattaching the chainplates.

I’ve seen plenty of discussions on replacing the bulkheads, but no real luck adding thickness to them. One of the bulkheads tabbing has let go, but the other one it is intact and fine.

I like working with my hands but wood and fiberglass aren’t my strong suit. To do this can I simply use epoxy and some bolts to attach another piece of wood (likely epoxied or encased in glass)? I’ll tab the new face into the hull and prep that area real well, but I am hoping to get away with just a quick sand instead of getting all the old paint off.

 

[PaulK]

Get a copy of the Gougeon Brothers on Boat Construction: Gougeon Brothers On Boat Construction Book | WEST SYSTEM Epoxy. West Systems makes it available online for free, or you can buy hard copies online.

That will get you pointed in the right direction. Adding a layer of plywood to your bulkhead is not as easy as it first sounds. Getting the wood shaped so that it fits properly along the top, bottom, and side is not simple. Getting one piece of wood that large into position may not be possible -- you may have to build it in several sections. This is why using epoxy is an excellent idea. If you epoxy the new bulkhead to a painted surface the epoxy will stick to the paint, and it will be the paint that is holding the bulkhead together. That is probably not what you want. Remove the paint from whatever you are gluing together with epoxy. After the bulkhead has been "bulked up" you will need to tab it to the hull. Again, any paint needs to be removed to achieve a solid connection. Hopefully you will not have to actually remove the chainplates, but simply take out the bolts holding them in the bulkhead and put in longer ones to accommodate the thicker bulkhead. Good luck!