At the risk of going against the grain here, I think I would relax a little bit. Upon looking at that as close as I can with those pictures, and of course you can only see one side – (You need to light up the backside, and take several hi-res pictures of the other side) I don’t think it looks all that bad.
Most importantly, there are no cracks or checks in that fiberglass bulkhead, and if you cut it out, you will be replacing it with fiberglass and epoxy. A good fix, for sure, but right now you probably have a homogenous bond with the hull, and a replacement will be a mechanical bond. The fact that it is 35-40 years old and still completely check –free, is golden. The plywood in the middle is not really structural, just a filler. I would try to figure a way to remove whatever was rotten, and fill that area in so it is completely solid, (probably with thickened epoxy) and thoroughly seal it afterwards. You need to get that chainplate off, passivate the hell out of it, and check it for cracks. Then put some new 316 Bolts in there. Of course this advise it worth exactly what you paid for it - but that is what I would do if it was my boat. Bill Coleman C&C 39 Erie, PA From: CnC-List [mailto:cnc-list-boun...@cnc-list.com] On Behalf Of Dan via CnC-List Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2019 11:48 AM To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Cc: Dan Subject: Stus-List Headstay Bulkhead holding Chainplate Rotten through I need the collective wisdom on this one. Pictures here: <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1znDiTdnSAfj89gETGSYAzGlTGPaJPGLM/view?usp=drive_web> IMG_6750.JPG <https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A8ykQQMEgWAVr-Y3Dd5oxvPRXd_tMdMX/view?usp=drive_web> IMG_6747.JPG On Breakaweigh I discovered my forward bulkhead holding the chain plate for the headstay was constructed using a plywood core and had been modified over the years. Of course no one thought to isolate the core in there when drain holes were drilled and such and now the core material inside the bulkhead is nearly disintegrated or rotten. There is a front and back fiberglass layer, each about 1/4" thick and are well tabbed into the hull. This rot is making me damn nervous and my gut is telling me to cut into the exposed side, remove the rot, clean it up, sand, etc. and re-bed in something stronger than wood, then re-glass and re-tab it into the hull. Before I try anything like that I'm just wondering if cutting then re-glassing one side of these original hull tabs is a bad idea? will the new tabs be strong enough to support the re-inforced bulkhead? (using good quality glass and epoxy) Thanks guys, Dan Breakaweigh C&C44 Halifax, NS
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