MORE BULKHEAD QUESTIONS

[LLOYD FERENCIK]

JUSTIN AND SERGIO,THANKS FOR YOUR RESPONSES.I AM GLAD I HAVE REACHED THE STAGE IN MY LIFE WHERE IAM ASKING QUESTIONS BEFORE I START TAKING THINGS APART.JUSTIN,SERGIO MENTIONED A COMPRESION POST.ON 3/22 I ASKED FOR HELP IDENTIFYING A BOLT.DOES THAT BOLT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE COMPRESION POST? I ALSO WANT TO PUT FALSE BULKHEADS AT THE UNDER-COCKPIT ENDS OF THE SIDE BERTHS.I HAVE VENTELATION CONCERNS AS THE PORTABLE GAS TANK IS UNDER THE STARBOARD REAR COCKPIT HATCH.I DONT WANT TO DRILL LOTS OF HOLES IN MY BOAT.CAN I VENT THROUGH THAT HATCH SOMEHOW?DO I EVEN NEED TO WORRY.(I GUESS ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO WORRY ABOUT FUMES)AS IT IS NOW,ANY FUMES VENT STRAIGHT INTO THE BOAT AND THAT ISNT TOO COOL EITHER.

 

[Justin - O'day Owners' Web]

Stuff

Lloyd, From your description of the bolt it sounds like its coming down from the deck where it holds the mast step in place. Others seemed to think so too. Hard to tell you for sure, but its probably a good assumption. If so, there are several more bolts through the mast step into the cabin, but they may emerge into the bulkhead itself, so they may be hidden. My Catalina is like that. You need to pull those bolts from the top before you remove the bulkhead or you may make a major mess.The compression post is the post running from the bottom of the deck to the keel. It carries the load of the mast down into the hull. You need this thing. If you take it out and rig the boat, you'll drive the mast through the deck (unless you do major structural changes including some form of bridge under there). I'd stay away from it. The false bulkheads are a neat idea, but your concern about fumes is well grounded. I would be carefull to make sure there is really good ventilation because, yes, you need to worry about it. I would either install a garboard fitting in your fuel tank, then a hose from it to a vent outside the locker, or move the fuel can to the cockpit.Justin - O'day Onwers' Web

 

[Jim Hand]

gas tank

I am confused as to why your gas tank is down in the starbord locker. The port locker is for the gas tank and is sealed form the interior preventing any fume problems.

 

[mark townsley]

fuel tank fumes

HII thought about storing the fuel tank inside but found the fumes were too bad, even with a sealed tank. I ended up building a fuel locker under the tiller handle. I found this really good and ended up storing more gear in there. It was constructed from mahogany and really gave the boat a classy apperance as well.I did also replace my bulkeads and compression post. The bolts are very important as it will prevent a buckling on the compression post by pinning the top in place, also prevents an unstable load condition that may kick the post out from under the load bearing area. This would be a catastrophic failure and cause you to loose the mast, and possible collaspe the cabin top.