Port forward lower stay strikes again.

WayneH · **Posted:** 20 Apr 2014 08:53

Well, actually not. We recently replaced the stays on Impetuous because the backstay had a crack on the lower fitting and with the roller furler installed we couldn't inspect the forestay. Not part of this story but when we looked at the old stays later, the backstay was cracked on both ends.

So we get the boat back to the slip and the Admiral notices that the hull is deformed under the port forward lower. Sounds like the repair we did to this bulkhead has failed. So we take the cabinetry out of the head again to look at the bulkhead in the middle of the head. Hey! It's solid. So why has the bulkhead moved? Then we notice the crack at the top of the forward bulkhead. About a 1/4 inch wide crack where the waterproof laminate has separated.

Water damage. And about the top 6 inches of the bulkhead between the head and the v-berth is basically sawdust. The tabbing from the deck to the bulkhead is still intact. It has just pulled away from the bulkhead, taking a layer of the plywood with it.

So now, we are going to replace the entire bulkhead because that is the best repair. The sink, cabinetry and doors in the head have to come out. The hanging closet in the v-berth has to be removed. And the worst part is I have to remove the head hoses going overboard and into the holding tank.

The good news in all of this is we were going to replace the holding tank this year and replumb it so that job gets easier with half the boat gone. Smile

As near as we can tell, the port porthole in the v-berth had leaked and run into the bulkhead for years. It was one of the things we fixed early on but evidently not before damage was being done.

So our yard guy comes over to look at the boat and says he can do it for $5K OR we can get the new wood and remove the old bulkhead and he will glass the new one in for $1000 - $1400. He's not sure how much work he'll have to do so he gave us a ballpark figure. If you think he's charging too much, sit on the V-berth and look at how much wood has to be removed JUST TO GET TO the bulkhead. I'm already in a funk over how long this will take to complete.

The joys of sailboat ownership. Splice

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

You might look for that leak in other places. I do not see how a port leak would do the damage you are describing as water goes across, but down. I know that when I removed my forward hatch, I discovered that the self tapping screws had mostly disintigrated and left large holes for water ingress into the space in the deck laminate. The deck area around the forward hatch is subject to quite a bit of flexing/twisting in rough seas and I think this is a weak point. I drilled out the holes in the hatch screws and filled them with epoxy and reset the deck with larger screws in epoxy with microballons. It is one of the few places that I thought Tartan did not do a very good job with the original construction: the screws were not bedded in anything solid. I know some folks have through bolted the hatch, but I did not see that as necessary and have not had leaks since I did this repair with epoxy and 407. Prior to that I had water in the deck where you described it--over the bulkhead. You might also look at the mast collar, but I think this is probably likely to be covered with something. I chased that leak for years before discovering this.

FWIW

Ray

Velera #373

WayneH · **Posted:** 21 Apr 2014 19:39

Well, we've already done the forward hatch recaulk. I removed the hatch completely, wire brushed the lower surface, sprayed a couple of coats of black paint on it then recaulked both the hatch surface and the deck surface which finally stopped the leak in my face. Postal

But you're right, this could also have been a route for water to get to the bulkhead. The wood in the bulkhead is dry at this time so I am pretty sure we have the root cause fixed. for now

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

How far did the rot go down on the bulkhead? I am wondering if you could do a one-sided fix, meaning that you could splice in a new piece of plywood to replace the rotted wood, then add a new, full-sized, plywood face to one side of the bulkhead. You would still need to remove the cabinetry on this side, but not the cabinets on the other, probably remove the head cabinet. You would then epoxy and tab the new bulkhead face as before. Since this isn't an attachment point for the chainplate, you're mainly concerned with keeping everything rigid.
Just a thought.

WayneH · **Posted:** 22 Apr 2014 07:46

The rot appears to only go down about six inches. Installing a patch was also suggested but I didn't want a doubler in view. Then the Admiral remembered we are installing a new holding tank and replumbing the system so that everything goes into the tank and the "Y" is on the outlet side of the tank so there is one less hole for hoses. She also wants to remove the blocked off A/C vent. I agree it looks ugly and we don't use it. So the new piece will only have a hole for the holding tank inlet and one for the manual discharge outlet.

So a new piece all the way. I agree it's more work. I just want it to look original once we're done.

Tartan37.com

Port forward lower stay strikes again.

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