That sinking feelin'..trouble with compression post

[emergpa1]

Thanks again ed, i am consuming the epoxy works web site. just what i needed. I would still like some pictures of different ways of repairing and reinforcing the bulk heads.
BTW. I just competed a half bath remodel, and when i put the toilet in, i used plumbers putty. The putty came in handy with the boat as i used it to build a "dam" around the open chainplate hole so that rain or dew would not run down the deck and underneath my cover. now any water that drains there will have to go around the dam, keeping my core drying.
Plumber's putty, handy stuff
keith

 

[Joe11688]

Joe, the chainplate weld is a geat idea!
Is the first picture of the cabin made before the oak was attached? The modification appears very strong.
My 26 has a small plate that the chain plate passes through. it is just attached with screws to the fiberglass. And it is sealed with some sort of caulk. It peeled off easily. This appears to be a difficult area to keep sealed.
I believe that i can reinforce the bulk head by having larger steel plates made and attaching this to both sides of the bulk head, similar idea to the oak plates you had made. Have you heard of that being done? I would like to see more pics of different ways to reinforce a bulkhead. Hopefully others will bring up ideas as well
keith

Keith,
That first picture was taken just last October when I finished staining and varnishing all the wood in my cabin. I started that particular job in September 08 by removing all the bulkheads and wood from the cabin. The oak was installed quite a few years ago, and I also was using the same small plates that you're using now which is held by two wood screws. The darn water started getting in, so I decided to have the plates made up and welded, about one or two years later. Where your bulkhead isn't fiberglass into place, I think that if you can use some kind of glassed in metal brackets to beef up your bulkhead, it will be a lot better than what you have now. Having stainless steel plates made up and welded to your chain plates will even double the strength of the whole thing and keep out the moisture. Of course, each of these plate need four bolts. The two bolts that come through the deck in the main cabin part of the bulkhead will be no problem, but the two that go through the deck and come out in back of the bulkhead, or the V birth side, need to miss the bulkhead. In other words,--because your chain plates are mounted on one side of the bulkhead, the bolts will be more accessible on that side, than the other side, due to the thickness of the bulkhead. This is what you need to take into consideration, when or if you decide to make up the plates like I did. I would go ahead and beef up the bulkhead in the fashion that you wish to do it, and caulk the chain plates for now. Try it out this year while keeping a watchful eye out for moisture. When the wood on your bulkhead starts turning black, it's a good indication that you're getting moisture, and you need to go to plan B. Good Luck, Keith!
Joe

 

[emergpa1]

the hole where the chainplate passes through the deck is rotted out. i have core there. I am going to have to clean it out and fill it with epoxy. My question is, when i repair the hole by filling it in with epoxy, how do i make a square/ rectangular hole the right size of the chain plate to pass though? is there something you put in there before the epoxy and allow it to cure around it?

 

[emergpa1]

Keith,
That first picture was taken just last October when I finished staining and varnishing all the wood in my cabin. I started that particular job in September 08 by removing all the bulkheads and wood from the cabin. The oak was installed quite a few years ago, and I also was using the same small plates that you're using now which is held by two wood screws. The darn water started getting in, so I decided to have the plates made up and welded, about one or two years later. Where your bulkhead isn't fiberglass into place, I think that if you can use some kind of glassed in metal brackets to beef up your bulkhead, it will be a lot better than what you have now. Having stainless steel plates made up and welded to your chain plates will even double the strength of the whole thing and keep out the moisture. Of course, each of these plate need four bolts. The two bolts that come through the deck in the main cabin part of the bulkhead will be no problem, but the two that go through the deck and come out in back of the bulkhead, or the V birth side, need to miss the bulkhead. In other words,--because your chain plates are mounted on one side of the bulkhead, the bolts will be more accessible on that side, than the other side, due to the thickness of the bulkhead. This is what you need to take into consideration, when or if you decide to make up the plates like I did. I would go ahead and beef up the bulkhead in the fashion that you wish to do it, and caulk the chain plates for now. Try it out this year while keeping a watchful eye out for moisture. When the wood on your bulkhead starts turning black, it's a good indication that you're getting moisture, and you need to go to plan B. Good Luck, Keith!
Joe

Joe, looks great. I worked on "my Girl" all day. Looks like I am going to have to replace those bulkheads after all. I did a lot of removing of the head and sink/vanity. lots of rot on the starboard bulkhead. It looks like i'm going to learn a lot about sailboats.
How did you cut the fiberglass tabs to remove the bulkhead? I would like to cut as close to the hull as possible, so as to use the old ones as a template.
I have so many questions...
Can you seal the ends and screw holes of the plywood so as not to rot so easily next time?
Are there any recommended ways to put them back even stronger?
Where can i get what I need CHEAP! ?
Hopefully those that have gone there before will give some advice..thanks in advance
keith

 

[appleman]

I removed my tabs by carefully using a very sharp wood chisel, an 1" to an 1-1/2". Slide the angled edge along the hull by hand toward the tabbing, and work your way up and down, doing a little at a time. You will be surprised how quick it comes up.

 

[appleman]

Here are pictures of the interior of my boat taken when we first went to check it out when we were considering buying her.

 

[appleman]

Here is what it looked like once gutted. It looks like I had started rebuilding at this point, as there are pieces of floor made of starboard at the galley sink and under the companionway steps. The compression post is on the starboard settee. Unfortunately for me and for this thread, I don't take pictures as detailed as Joe does.
As you are finding, once I got started, the more I disassembled, the more issues I found. When I bought the boat I new I would be replacing the starboard bulkhead. It was so rotted around the chainplate that I could make holes by pushing my finger through the plywood. When I took out the sink in the head, I found rot in the bulkheads where the counter top attached. At that point, my wife and I decided to fully gut it, as the hull liner was stained and very smelly (mildew).

 

[appleman]

Here are pictures of installing the new hull liner

 

[emergpa1]

wood chisle, good idea. someone at a website said rotozip tool, but i didn't want to have to buy another tool if i didin't have to. did you seal the edges of the plywood for bulkheads?

 

[emergpa1]

did you cut your overhead liner for any reason, my deck underneath the mast is sagging (original concern) and i would like to make the repair from underneath the deck instead of through the surface,. but i would have to cut the overhead (plastic?)liner. i have not seen any articles on doing the repair of the liner.

 

[appleman]

Pictures I took yesterday of the what it looks like now. Incredibly enough we didn't take pictures when finished with the cushions in.

 

[appleman]

I replaced the floor under the porta potty with starboard. Here is a picture of the port chainplate taken yesterday, one of the chainplate inside the hanging locker, and the other of the teak board I added to tighten the bolts against, as the teak plywood is soft, and the washers and nuts sink right in when really snugged down.

 

[appleman]

I have worked on the core under the mast step. That was last winter's project. The summer before, we noticed spider cracks developing around the aft side of the plate. So I swallowed hard, used a saw attachment on

​

dremel, and took up the top skin under the plate. I knew from rewiring the mast and adding new wires though the deck that the core was dry and sound. When I took up the top skin I found that under the step was cored with plywood instead of balsa. The plywood is about the size of the white area under the step.(goes to the edge of the non skid) When the core was put in, there was a small gap around the plywood before the balsa started. When the top skin was laid up, resin filled the gap and effectively made a barrier between the plywood and the balsa. The plywood was wet, but the balsa around it was dry. I let the plywood dry all winter under the tarp, and in the spring found that the plywood was still sound enough to save, so I drilled a series of 1/4" holes through the plywood with a forstner type bit and soaked the plywood with "git rot". Once the git rot cured, I filled the 1/4" holes with thickened epoxy, and smooth the surface to fit the top skin back down. Before I glued the top skin down, I drilled 3/4" holes through the plywood where the bolts go though. After the top skin was glued down I filled these with thickened epoxy and re drilled the bolt holes. Water will not penetrate again. I then fixed the gel coat where I cut the piece out and bolted the step back down. I added the utility plate under the step for future projects. Here is a picture I took yesterday, it was to bright under the tarp for the flash to go off.

 

[appleman]

As an interesting side note, I have pictures of your boat that I downloaded from somewhere when we bought our boat in November of '05. I was looking for pictres of other 26's to compare condition.

 

[appleman]

Here she is last spring after a bottom job

 

[emergpa1]

Nice looking boat. I bet you feel good about the way she turned out.
I just got in from a work day at the sail club. We are rebuilding one of the docks. It was alll I could do to force myself not to work on the boat Ha.
Your Pix and advice are real helpful.
Did you see the pix of the deck underneath where the mast sits? Someone at the club said that i should repair the deck there as usual for core, then put a Plastic plate that is the same shape, or an inch smaller than the white area the at the tabernacle, instead of trying to do a finish job on the fiberglass patch. They suggested the same type of plastic that is used for the white cutting boards, cut to shape, router the edges round, bolt through and seal it as you would for any through deck fitting . Any thoughts on that, or suggestions?
thanks
keith

 

[emergpa1]

How did you prep the inner hull to accept the liner adhesive? Also, what did you find to be the fasstest way to remove the remaining foam rubber after pulling off the rotten liner. I am using a window scraper/razor blade, but it is slow

 

[appleman]

Did you see the pix of the deck underneath where the mast sits? Someone at the club said that i should repair the deck there as usual for core, then put a Plastic plate that is the same shape, or an inch smaller than the white area the at the tabernacle, instead of trying to do a finish job on the fiberglass patch. They suggested the same type of plastic that is used for the white cutting boards, cut to shape, router the edges round, bolt through and seal it as you would for any through deck fitting . Any thoughts on that, or suggestions?
thanks
keith

That would sure make fixing all those spider cracks easier. It would also help spread the load from the mast just like a backing plate does. WM sells starboard from 1/4" to 3/4" thick, Defender, though a few $'s cheaper only sells 1/2".

How did you prep the inner hull to accept the liner adhesive? Also, what did you find to be the fasstest way to remove the remaining foam rubber after pulling off the rotten liner. I am using a window scraper/razor blade, but it is slow

Don your tyvek suit, goggles and respirator, have a shop vac at the ready, clean EVERYTHING out of the boat and go at it with it with a 4" angle grinder with a wire brush. Messy, but fast and effective.

 

[emergpa1]

Ok, so consider putting in a Starboard plate under the tabernacle, thats what the folks at the club said. Cool, I am encourage.
As far as the tear-out I am going toleave in the 'aft sink' area since that is in great shap. and it will save a lot of lumber.
Below, please check out the pix. That that is my sail clubs' comadore's sailboat just north of me with the Rome sail club in the background. The second picture is my wife and I on a happy sail, and the commadore's boat "on the hard (aground). All taken the same day, same lake Weiss. To be fair to Randy (the commadore), the winds were fickle that day.
Please check-in with this thread. I am about to go back to work and will not get to touch the boat until wednesday or friday. I am not sure what other questions will arise. But I will check this thread daily and post any news. I sure hope we can meet at an oday get-together sometime. I think my trailer and truck are in good shape!
thanks much
keith

 

[emergpa1]

Starboard is a good idea under the toilet. I like the teak under the aft chainplate bolts. I think i will do that instead of the stainless plate. Did you modify or change the head or sink any from fact. speks. Also. could you name tell me a little bit about the plugs you used for the mast going t hrough the deck. If you just give me the names or brief descrip i can look them up.
thanks
keith