I recently bought my first boat. O'day 23. Now I have to replace the port bulkhead and compression post. After reading related posts in the archives, I'm afraid to sail until I get this done. The bulkhead has about 1" of rot from the chainplate to the compression post. I would like to try to match the starboard bulkhead which seems to be fine. Is it teak or mahogany? Also, I would appreciate any tips on doing this. Can I attach halyards to stanchions while the shrouds are loose or should I drop the mast? How is the compression post secured at the top and bottom. I'm sorry I have so many questions. I'm new to this and I need to get this done before springtime. Thanks, Alan
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What year is the boat?
I know on the later model 23's that the bulkheads are not any type of expensive teak or mahogany, but are covered with a thin teak-looking veneer. The easiest way to tackle the job could be to build a new bulkhead of marine-grade plywood and cover it with the veneer of your choice. You could also cover the existing good bulkhead with the same veneer to match. I don't know much about the compression post, only that mine resembles nothing so much as a 4x4. Check with Rudy at D&R Marine; he used to work at Oday and is an invaluable resource.
I know on the later model 23's that the bulkheads are not any type of expensive teak or mahogany, but are covered with a thin teak-looking veneer. The easiest way to tackle the job could be to build a new bulkhead of marine-grade plywood and cover it with the veneer of your choice. You could also cover the existing good bulkhead with the same veneer to match. I don't know much about the compression post, only that mine resembles nothing so much as a 4x4. Check with Rudy at D&R Marine; he used to work at Oday and is an invaluable resource.
Been there
Alan, I had the same problem with my '83. I unstepped the mast first, which "decompresses" the cabin-top. I removed all of the small screws from the head side of the bulkhead, as well as the chainplates (this gives you a great chance to rebed the chainplates, a common leak point). I then used a small hydrolic jack and 2x4 next to the compression post to slightly lift the cabin top... just enough to slide out the old compression post and damaged bulkhead. These I used to trace the new bulkhead and cut a properly lengthed compression post. I used teak veneered plywood for the bulkhead and stained white pine for the compression post. I soaked the bottom of the compression post and the lower edges of the bulkhead in "GET ROT", a thin epoxy resin, to help ward off future problems. Slide the new pieces into place, lower the jack, and secure with the screws and you're done. I apologize for making this so lengthy, but since you are new to this boat, I have some advice about the chainplates. As I said, this is a prime spot for leakage and damage to the cored deck. While you have the chainplates off, take a bent nail in a drill or some similar device and remove as much of the core around the chainplate opening and screw holes as possible. Force a thickened (peanut butter) epoxy mixture in to the decored areas and clean the chainplate areas with a knife. Redrill the screw holes for the covers. Now the chain plate passes through solid fiberglass rather than balsa core. Rebed the chainplates and covers with 3M 4200 (not 5200!!) or similar polysulfide. I hope this helped. If I can answer any other questions, I check this site almost daily. Good luck, Terry
Alan, I had the same problem with my '83. I unstepped the mast first, which "decompresses" the cabin-top. I removed all of the small screws from the head side of the bulkhead, as well as the chainplates (this gives you a great chance to rebed the chainplates, a common leak point). I then used a small hydrolic jack and 2x4 next to the compression post to slightly lift the cabin top... just enough to slide out the old compression post and damaged bulkhead. These I used to trace the new bulkhead and cut a properly lengthed compression post. I used teak veneered plywood for the bulkhead and stained white pine for the compression post. I soaked the bottom of the compression post and the lower edges of the bulkhead in "GET ROT", a thin epoxy resin, to help ward off future problems. Slide the new pieces into place, lower the jack, and secure with the screws and you're done. I apologize for making this so lengthy, but since you are new to this boat, I have some advice about the chainplates. As I said, this is a prime spot for leakage and damage to the cored deck. While you have the chainplates off, take a bent nail in a drill or some similar device and remove as much of the core around the chainplate opening and screw holes as possible. Force a thickened (peanut butter) epoxy mixture in to the decored areas and clean the chainplate areas with a knife. Redrill the screw holes for the covers. Now the chain plate passes through solid fiberglass rather than balsa core. Rebed the chainplates and covers with 3M 4200 (not 5200!!) or similar polysulfide. I hope this helped. If I can answer any other questions, I check this site almost daily. Good luck, Terry
I Replaced bulkhead on Our !985 23
Hey Alan, We recently purchased a 1985 Oday 23, 1985 and had to replace both port and sraboard bulkheads as the previus owners did not caulk the on deck chainplates and moisture got in. It's not an impossibly hard job, but a tedious one. If you know how to use powertools(jigsaw,drill) and handtools you should be OK. First, the bulkhead is 1/2 inch teak on both sides marine plywood. We paid $250 for a 4 by 8 sheet, expensive I know but there are limited places where you can buy it. You could use halyards to hold up mast, but it's up to your comfort level.Personally I would take mast down.Probably want to replace both bulkheads while your at it as you will not be able to match the other halfwith the new teak and it's also probably damaged. The port bulkhead is the larger of the two and the easier one to remove as there are less attachments to it. Remove table and the slide out bed attachments, unscrew the stainless screws and finish washers holding the bulkhead into place and wiggle it out. Try to keep bulkhead in one piece as you will use it as a template to trace/create to new one. Take old bulkhead(BH), lay it on new teak plywood and carefully trace it. You may have to estimate some areas that were rooten. Cut these rotten areas a little generously as you can always trim them later. Use a good jigsaw with a high quality SHARP blade to cut out new BH keeping the finish side(side facing aft up as you may get some splinters blowing out the opposite side of the jig saw. Install new BH opposite the way you took it out using trial and error, taking it in and out, and shaving/trimming until it fits snuggly in place. This is probably the toughest part. We drilled new srews holes in the new BH as its impossible to match up the old one. Mark hull where old srews where. I know this is a brief synopsis of the process so feel free to call me for more info. Larry 203 222-1936 It helps to have an extra set of hands around to do all of this.
Hey Alan, We recently purchased a 1985 Oday 23, 1985 and had to replace both port and sraboard bulkheads as the previus owners did not caulk the on deck chainplates and moisture got in. It's not an impossibly hard job, but a tedious one. If you know how to use powertools(jigsaw,drill) and handtools you should be OK. First, the bulkhead is 1/2 inch teak on both sides marine plywood. We paid $250 for a 4 by 8 sheet, expensive I know but there are limited places where you can buy it. You could use halyards to hold up mast, but it's up to your comfort level.Personally I would take mast down.Probably want to replace both bulkheads while your at it as you will not be able to match the other halfwith the new teak and it's also probably damaged. The port bulkhead is the larger of the two and the easier one to remove as there are less attachments to it. Remove table and the slide out bed attachments, unscrew the stainless screws and finish washers holding the bulkhead into place and wiggle it out. Try to keep bulkhead in one piece as you will use it as a template to trace/create to new one. Take old bulkhead(BH), lay it on new teak plywood and carefully trace it. You may have to estimate some areas that were rooten. Cut these rotten areas a little generously as you can always trim them later. Use a good jigsaw with a high quality SHARP blade to cut out new BH keeping the finish side(side facing aft up as you may get some splinters blowing out the opposite side of the jig saw. Install new BH opposite the way you took it out using trial and error, taking it in and out, and shaving/trimming until it fits snuggly in place. This is probably the toughest part. We drilled new srews holes in the new BH as its impossible to match up the old one. Mark hull where old srews where. I know this is a brief synopsis of the process so feel free to call me for more info. Larry 203 222-1936 It helps to have an extra set of hands around to do all of this.
Bulkhead Material
All of the advice here is good, but I would add an "extra". I recently replaced all four bulkheads on my O'Day 25, and decided to NOT go with a teak or mahogany veneer. I used high quality marine grade plywood. The brand I used (hydrotek, I think) used luan finish on both sides. I didn't stain it, but did varnish it, and it looks great. Much cheaper than teak plywood (I paid $60 a sheet at Riverside Lumber in New Orleans, the 25 took two sheets).
All of the advice here is good, but I would add an "extra". I recently replaced all four bulkheads on my O'Day 25, and decided to NOT go with a teak or mahogany veneer. I used high quality marine grade plywood. The brand I used (hydrotek, I think) used luan finish on both sides. I didn't stain it, but did varnish it, and it looks great. Much cheaper than teak plywood (I paid $60 a sheet at Riverside Lumber in New Orleans, the 25 took two sheets).
Bulkhead Replacement
Thanks everyone for all the great advice.Instead of viewing this project with such dread, now i'm kinda looking forward to it. The boat is 1978 O'day 23. It will be a couple of weeks before I can get started on it.I'm self-employed and super busy. I'll get my wife to get pictures of each step of the repair and put them online with a link if anyone wants to check on our progress. Thank you again everyone. I'm sure I'll have more questions. I'm glad I found this forum. Alan
Thanks everyone for all the great advice.Instead of viewing this project with such dread, now i'm kinda looking forward to it. The boat is 1978 O'day 23. It will be a couple of weeks before I can get started on it.I'm self-employed and super busy. I'll get my wife to get pictures of each step of the repair and put them online with a link if anyone wants to check on our progress. Thank you again everyone. I'm sure I'll have more questions. I'm glad I found this forum. Alan
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