Chain locker bulkhead re fitting advise please (with pictures )

[Restoration man]

Hi , sorry for being such long read just thought I would put all the facts in from start ,having previously removed my chain locker bulkhead so I could repair the core in the front deck from the inside it’s now time to refit the bulkhead , I’ve included some photos so get drift of what I’m doing , the bulkhead was originally fitted before the superstructure was fitted so I’ve had to make the door to the chain locker big enough for me to get my shoulders in for the re tabbing ,also the top of the bulkhead helps support the front deck this wasn’t tabbed to the deck as they couldn’t access it after the super structure was fitted but I plan on doing this for extra measure , also the inside of the chain locker was bare wood so I’m going to lay some glass up on the inside while its still out to make a better Job of it , The bulkhead was designed and fitted in such a way that the sides of the bulkhead did not touch the sides of the hull and was tabbed in without any fillets I’m thinking to stop any hard spots ? so here’s my question

1) how should I refit the bulk head,? Should I try and keep the gap to stop and hard spots ? It will be hard to re tabb without a fillet? And if I used fillet it will all run back though the gap , I originally thought I would mask up from the outside fill the gap with thickened epoxy and then create the fillet and re tab but Im worried I might create a hard spots on the hull?? , my other idea was to fill the gap neatly with silkaflex not letting it get on the face of board etc , then when dry create the fillet and re tabb from the inside only as was from the factory , or does anyone have better idea ??

 

[Scott Danforth]

your original bulkhead was trimmed with a chainsaw so they could slap the cap on the boat and get it out the door to have the least amount of labor.

if you want to tab it, then tab it. the primary two uses of the bulkhead are as follows:

• keeps the chain from landing on the pillows and your head if you are sleeping in the v-berth
• keeps moisture and critters from landing on your pillows as you pull the wet rope up and drop it thru the deck hawse

so, either simply adhere it in place with 5200 or tab it in. both are acceptable.

 

[Restoration man]

your original bulkhead was trimmed with a chainsaw so they could slap the cap on the boat and get it out the door to have the least amount of labor.

if you want to tab it, then tab it. the primary two uses of the bulkhead are as follows:

• keeps the chain from landing on the pillows and your head if you are sleeping in the v-berth
• keeps moisture and critters from landing on your pillows as you pull the wet rope up and drop it thru the deck hawse

so, either simply adhere it in place with 5200 or tab it in. both are acceptable.

Thanks for the reply judging from your comments am I right to assume this bulkhead is not Structual ?other than helping to support the deck from above , which it does ,
When I said I was going to use silkaflex I didn’t actually mean I was considering sticking the bulkhead in solely with 5200, I meant I was going to bed the bulkhead edges on 5200 so it wasn’t in direct contact with the hull as to avoid a hard spot , this would also mean I don’t have a gap for the filleting adhesive to fall through, then tab it in as well , failing that I could bed it onto thickened epoxy then create the fillet and tab it in , but wouldn’t this create a hard spot ? Or try tab it in without the fillet at all ???
is my thinking right with the hard spot I’m sure I’ve read stuff on hear about it ? Hence my questions, or am I over thinking it ?
Thanks Nick

 

[Scott Danforth]

the bulkhead adds structure, however not really needed so close to the bow.

I would personally just glue it in with sika or 5200. however if you want to tab it, then glue it in, then tab.

 

[flashback]

You could also glass a couple of ribs to the hull and then just screw the bulkhead to them which would allow you to remove it in the future.. It never was designed to be structural but just a partition.

 

[froggy1150]

Tabbing does more than just attach itself....
So as your tabbings Get wider, the joint flexes more. Like a leaf spring pack. you want to minimize that sharp edge so when the hull flexes, it flexes gradually. Not at a sharp 90deg. If i explained that goodernuff... bed the joint however and fillet/tab away ...fyi

 

[Restoration man]

Thanks for the reply’s guys appreciate the help ,I am going to fully glass the inside face of the bulkhead And fully tab it in as it gets very wet in chain locker due to water coming in through the anchor
Winch through the hole for the chain, and there is also a compartment within the
Chain locker with lid from the outside that
Drains into the chain locker , the floor of the chain locker has a pipe that connects to a skin fitting and should take water away but the Floor of chain locker was rotted and the
Water was finding its way into the bilges hence why wanted to do proper job of the bulkhead, sorry if I’ve taken long to reply for some reason I don’t get emails about any reply’s to my postings on here