Is there a rule of thumb for drilling through structural bulkheads? I would like to install a hot air heating system on my cat, with the burner in the starboard engine room. This would call for holes about 3" in dia through several transverse structural bulkheads in order to route ducting. The builder was clearly careful passing through these bulkheads because there is one reinforced conduit through which hoses and wires all lead, but it is not big enough.
Drilling Holes in Structural Bulkhead
- Thread starter svneko
- Start date
Don't think there is a single rule-of-thumb when it comes to bulkheads.. there are way too many shapes, sizes and attachment methods. If you don't want to run a bunch of stress/load calculations, sometimes common sense works fine, particularly when you err on the side of caution 
Cheers,
Brad
Cheers,
Brad
Scab on some reinforcing around where the hole goes through. the scaps go in the direction of the force arrows. You will unfortunatly have to buy a set of force arrow glasses that are only avalable at your local engineering college. also there is an approximate 4 year training (some do it in 3) period before you can actually get the galsses and put them on.
MrUnix is correct, there are just too many verables to "call the shot" on this one. Now if we had some pictures........ perhaps, perhaps not.
MrUnix is correct, there are just too many verables to "call the shot" on this one. Now if we had some pictures........ perhaps, perhaps not.
Thanks for all the replies. the boat is a Switch 51 and the yard is out of business. I think I will cut a round hole and glass in a piece of pipe, building up the layup around it for strength. Maybe overkill, but why not.
If you can avoid cutting too close to an edge or through any tabbing you'll be better off. Most all of these bulkheads are marine plywood and round holes, well placed, should not be a big issue. You can always consult an NA but these heaters are installed quite often and bulkheads don't seem to be affected.