Compression post replacement -H26.5

[Bluebonnet87]

Hello, I have a 26.5 and planning to replace my bulkhead due to some water damage and being old. Could I cut the port side of the bulkhead down to match the width of the starboard bulkhead? Id like to make the space more Open. Now, the wooden compression post appears to be secured in place by the port bulkhead. And it got me thinking. Could I somehow replace that wood compression post with a 3" aluminum or stainless pipe? If I cut down my bulkhead then id have to attach the pipe somehow to floor and ceiling. I guess bolt to it. The current compression post doesn't seem connected to at the top or bottom just to the side of the bulkead. Thoughts or advice?

 

[pgandw]

There is another point to the bulkhead besides downward compression from the deck-stepped mast. The bulkhead also serves to prevent horizontal compression from the shrouds.

Learned this the hard way on my Mariner (19ft), which doesn't have a bulkhead where the shrouds are - shrouds are swept aft and there is no cabin bulkhead, anyway. Just a compression post on later models.

When I was under heavy loading (full main, working jib) going to windward in 20kts, the lee shrouds became a lot more limp than I expected, and I had some forestay sag. Consulting the class experts, I found out racers put a closet rod or equivalent between the chain plates in heavy winds to prevent the hull sides/deck from compressing slightly under load. I'm making an adjustable closet rod to fit between the chain plates.

So yes, the bulkhead has a purpose besides vertical compression. In your photo, I'll bet that piece across the top of the bulkhead is under a surprising amount of load in high winds going to windward. Otherwise, it's just wasting headroom.

Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner 19 Sweet P

 

[shemandr]

The horizontal header for the fore cabin appears crooked in this photo. Is it really? A boat builder wouldn't normally do that so I wonder if it's a PO job? It is suspect to begin with. I think you would need to beef up that beam if you want to remove part of the bulkhead. My Mark 25 keelboat had no compression post but the deck had curvature which made an arch to transfer the compression load of the mast to the hull. There was a bulkhead. I don't remember what the fore cabin /head header beam was like. I should because I must have smacked my head on it many times.
If you decide to open the cabin the pole could have welded ends with bolt holes analogous to a stanchion base. Lag bolts could retain one end on the deck assuming there is a sound wood core. The keel end would depend on what is there now. You could glass a retainer to the hull. Or you could create a shoe for it.