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Screensize: 640 x 480 800 x 600 1024 x 768 1280 x 1024 UserName: Password: Format Mode: Basic  Help  Prompt  Format: Font Andale Mono Arial Arial Black Book Antiqua Century Gothic Comic Sans MS Courier New Georgia Impact Lucida Console Script MT Bold Stencil Tahoma Times New Roman Trebuchet MS Verdana   Size 1 2 3 4 5 6   Color Black Red Yellow Pink Green Orange Purple Blue Beige Brown Teal Navy Maroon LimeGreen Message: * HTML is OFF * Forum Code is ON Smilies [quote][i]Originally posted by Leon Sisson[/i] [br]I just finished reinstalling all four head compartment bulkheads in a 1979 swing keel dinette model. Things to take into consideration when removing the bulkhead:  If the mast is stepped, then the bulkhead at the compression post in particular is likely under considerable load from the mast and standing rigging.  That aft wall of the head compartment is a load bearing partition.  With mast removed, I used a small hydraulic 'bottle jack' and 2x4 scraps to lift the deck maybe 1/8" to 1/4" — just enough to remove the bulkhead and compression post. All four plywood bulkheads required some jiggling, tugging, and shoving — but no trimming — to remove and install.  Obviously all interior pieces attached to the bulkhead you're wrestling with need to be removed first, although I left the C-channel teak trim attached to the straight inboard edge. (I ended up notching the compression post ends and that bulkhead where I routed new wiring for mast lights, solar panels, and lightning ground cable.  I also notched around the head inlet water hose.) That gasket-like trim where the plywood meets the hull liner consists of some sort of vinyl-like upholstery material wrapped around soft foam with a flap which is stapled to the edge of the plywood (using rust prone steel staples in 1979).  I didn't reinstall it, but that would depend on how you feel about any gap it might be hiding.  My bulkheads fit quite well. The 1979 factory interior wood finish was some sort of water soluble wax/oil/stain.  After trying alcohol, mineral spirits, acetone, sandpaper, and lots of profanity, I discovered that scrubbing with water and diluted household cleaner (Simple Green) removed it the best.  I'm refinishing all my interior teak with high gloss varnish. To each their own. Regarding replacing an entire bulkhead because of local water damage and delamination — I didn't on this boat.  Instead, I repaired the delamination using thinned epoxy in a syringe and a table knife to separate the plies, then lots of clamps, wax paper, and flat blocks to press the plies back together flat and straight.  Where small amounts of wood were missing, I built up with a putty of epoxy, milled fiberglass, and coloidial silica. (These were very small areas, less then a teaspoon each.)  While I was on a roll with the epoxy putty, I drilled out those 3/8" chainplate bolt holes to 3/4", refilled with reinforced epoxy, then redrilled to the original size and location.  I reassembled using SS fender washers large enough to cover the epoxy compression bushings. I also soaked the #10 screw holes with epoxy, then redrilled to 3/16" to reinforce them a bit.  I replaced all the fasteners because in 1979 Catalina used slot head screws (grr). If I had to replace an entire bulkhead, I would look for a used one in repairable condition, so as to match the original vernier.  (Which I did in my Catalina 22.) [/quote]   Check here to include your profile signature. Check here to subscribe to this topic.