I have a 2011 Catalina 375 with warped bulkheads in the door to the v-berth and the doors to the head. The v-berth door doesn’t close and the head doors don’t close properly. What’s the best way to fix this? I‘m thinking that I need to remove the steel rim that the door is mounted on and re-shape so the doors close properly. Then fit the steel rim back in the bulkhead by trimming and shimming if necessary for a proper fit.
Doors Won’t Close
- Thread starter Jim Nortz
- Start date
I see you’re at the Rochester Yacht Club, so at this time of year I need to ask - Is the boat in the water and has it been for at least a few days? Hulls tend to flex when out of the water whether on jackstands or cradles, which can cause problems like doors and cabinets not closing. Once back in the water the hull can return to its designed shape. This is also why final prop shaft alignment should only be done in the water.
Did the doors work as designed last fall? If so @Davidasailor26's assessment is correct.
A related issue may be where the jack stands are placed. Ideally they should be placed under bulkheads so that the hull is well supported. If the boat is on a cradle, the pads may not be in the best location, or there is too much weight on the pads and not enough on the keel.
A related issue may be where the jack stands are placed. Ideally they should be placed under bulkheads so that the hull is well supported. If the boat is on a cradle, the pads may not be in the best location, or there is too much weight on the pads and not enough on the keel.
Yeah, it depends on if the doors closed properly last season. If they didn't, I'd look for evidence of bulkhead tabbing being separated from the hull. Or other stiffening elements like the liner or the keel support apparatus. In any event shaving down the door, or the door frame may not address the real problem.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,141
Being on the hard with the mast tuned tight, the hull can be improperly stressed. Thus the cabinetry, the doors etc. can be tweaked/twisted. This may resolve when you put the boat in the water.
You may also be over tightening your standing rigging.
Storing on the hard sits most of the weight on the keel, the jackstands support the hull from sagging and falling over, but most of the weight should be on the keel. After a winter on the hard, a glass hull can be slightly deformed. If the bow and stern weren't supported, they can sag. If the mast is up, during storage, the forestay and back stays will help prevent that. But tunning your boat to final tensions before it is finished settling back into shape, when you first put her in the water, can lead to over tightening and retention of hull deformations. If you keep the mast up during storage, overly tight stays can also pull your boat out of shape.
Loosen your stays, let your hull rest in the water for a couple of weeks and see if your doors start fitting properly again.
-Will
Storing on the hard sits most of the weight on the keel, the jackstands support the hull from sagging and falling over, but most of the weight should be on the keel. After a winter on the hard, a glass hull can be slightly deformed. If the bow and stern weren't supported, they can sag. If the mast is up, during storage, the forestay and back stays will help prevent that. But tunning your boat to final tensions before it is finished settling back into shape, when you first put her in the water, can lead to over tightening and retention of hull deformations. If you keep the mast up during storage, overly tight stays can also pull your boat out of shape.
Loosen your stays, let your hull rest in the water for a couple of weeks and see if your doors start fitting properly again.
-Will
An uneven gap at the top/bottom of a head door on many Catalinas can be an indicator that the compression post block has failed. Take a look at it in your bilge if you can. Rule out rigging and winter layup warp before jumping to conclusions
Before you do anything else, try ending your next sail on a different tack. I'm not kidding. It could be just that simple. If she's been out of the water for an extended period, she may come back to her original shape in time, just by being in the water, and sailed.
I also have a 2012 motor yacht with warped bulkheads around the master cabin door and the en-suite head doors. The cabin door won’t latch, and the head doors are misaligned. What’s the best fix? I’m considering removing the stainless steel door frame, reshaping or straightening it, then reinstalling it with adjustments—possibly trimming the bulkhead or adding shims for a flush fit. Has anyone tackled this before? Tips on dealing with marine-grade materials and humidity-related warping would be appreciated!
check the doors hinges, they can double up due to wear and push the door away from the hinges.
john
john
Install the mast that they forgot at the factory so you can tweak everything back into place
In all seriousness, you need to figure out why the door frame isn't square to begin with. I'd start with checking bulkheads and go from there
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Thank you all for your thoughtful advice. Since there was no difference being on the water or on hard, I ended up trimming the port side of the bulkhead with a jigsaw by removing about 1/4 - 3/8 inches. Now the door fits perfectly. I'm supposing that the bulkhead expanded a bit due to being outside in a wet climate in Canada for the last 14 years.
