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Alan and Debbie
Jun 2, 2008 - 10:18AM
Allsorts
Just back from a week aboard finishing maintenance. Is it ever finished!! Have installed a wind generator on the stern which is working well. If someone tells us how to do it we'll post some photos. Trouble is we've discovered the dreaded aft bulkhead rot. Serves us right I suppose for feeling smug that Star Dog was free of it! Seems to be confined to the starboard side of the washboard into the aft cabin. It is about 2" wide and appears to be from halfway down, to the bottom of the washboard frame. The hardwood frame is ok, it seems to be just the plywood bulkhead. Feels soft and gooey behind the vinyl covering. We haven't investigated further (Don't want to spend the whole summer on maintenance) and only discovered it when fixing and wiring the wind generator regulator box. Has any one any tips for dealing with it (next winter!!)
SeaDog Name (if owner or crew) Star Dog
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Eric Richardson
Jun 18, 2008 - 7:18PM
Re: Allsorts
Hi Alan & Debbie
First thing is to get rid of that white material and let the air get to the bulkhead on both sides of the door, That is part of the reason this problem arises.The water usually gets in from the drainage channel for the sliding hatch. There are two pieces of copper pipe about 0.25" dia that allow this water to drain out and water tends to leak round the back of this pipe into the bulkhead space. Try to find and stop the leak. the best thing then is to chop out any rotten timber making sure you have got it all and bond new ply in with epoxy. Then carefully cut a sheet of 5mm marine ply to cover the area previously coated in the white cloth and bond it on to the bulkhead covering the old and new with one xcomplete piece. Varnish and it looks far better than before.
I should leave it till the end of the season it is not a stressed area.
Eric
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