[Public-list] HELP! Bulkhead Problem

[Peter Staehling]

We had a near dismasting yesterday.  The chain plate
for the starboard upper pulled most of the way out
while close hauled.  We quickly rounded up rolled up
the jib and dropped the main.

We hooked the main halyard to the car on the starboard
chain plate to hold the mast up.

Today upon inspection I find that starboard foreward
bulkhead has been rotted away where the chain plate
attaches.

There is still a little solid plywood next to it on
the side by the hull, So I am hoping that I can
dig/grind out all the rot and fill the void with a
piece of wood and some epoxy and microballons or some
other filler.

I hope that if I do that and add doublers on both
sides  (aluminum plate? plywood?) it will be strong
enough.

There is also other rot.

Between the upper and lower shelf in the closet it is
soft against the curve of the hull may be 1-2" wide of
an area.

The area where the lower shelf contacts is all soft as
well.

It looks like some of this has been rotton for a long
time.  Some of it had been filled with expandable
foam.  It looks like a old "repair".

The curve where the lower part of the bulkhead meets
the curve of the bottom is suspect because I see foam
there too, but it sounds solid when I tap it.

I wonder if I can get it fixed well enough to keep
sailing at least for the season by removing the soft
areas and reinforcing them or if more drastic measures
are required.

I can imagine dropping the mast and taking out the
bulkhead, but really hope I don't have to do that now!

I am suprised that it held at all, but we have had the
rail in the water before without incident.

Please advise.  I will provide more info and maybe
pictures if needed.

Pete
#554



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