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Under deck bulkheads

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[quote][i]Originally posted by Sal Garfi[/i]
[br]This might be a silly question, but I am a bit of a worry wort. So here goes...

I get some rain ingress into two under deck compartments at the very rear of the cockpit on my Norman 22. I know that the place(s) of ingress has(have) to be dealt with in the longer term, but I do have an automatic bilge pump in the lowest part of the rear bulkhead (just in case - though the ingress isn't that great at present). As you'll all know, the bulkheads are made of wood and they are vertically attached to the hull sides and bottom by fibreglass that comes out from the hull, and laps over them by a few inches (a normal form of attachment as far as I can tell).

I am thinking of drilling a small hole through the bulkhead of one of the compartments so that any water that accumulates there, can be drained into the compartment where I have put the bilge pump (at the lowest point in the boat). This hole will have to go through the overlapping fibreglass (attached to the bulkhead from the hull), but by piercing it, do I run any risk of water seeping (from the drilled hole and between the attached fibreglass and wood) into the layering of the fibreglass that makes up the hull?

Again, this might be a silly question, and perhaps I shouldn't be worrying, since the bulkheads were probably inserted (in the construction process) well after the hull was made/formed, but I thought I'd ask of those of you who know your way around GRP construction, and of course, Normans.

Thanks,

Sal
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T O P I C R E V I E W
Sal Garfi	Posted - 01 Jun 2016 : 08:53:41 This might be a silly question, but I am a bit of a worry wort. So here goes... I get some rain ingress into two under deck compartments at the very rear of the cockpit on my Norman 22. I know that the place(s) of ingress has(have) to be dealt with in the longer term, but I do have an automatic bilge pump in the lowest part of the rear bulkhead (just in case - though the ingress isn't that great at present). As you'll all know, the bulkheads are made of wood and they are vertically attached to the hull sides and bottom by fibreglass that comes out from the hull, and laps over them by a few inches (a normal form of attachment as far as I can tell). I am thinking of drilling a small hole through the bulkhead of one of the compartments so that any water that accumulates there, can be drained into the compartment where I have put the bilge pump (at the lowest point in the boat). This hole will have to go through the overlapping fibreglass (attached to the bulkhead from the hull), but by piercing it, do I run any risk of water seeping (from the drilled hole and between the attached fibreglass and wood) into the layering of the fibreglass that makes up the hull? Again, this might be a silly question, and perhaps I shouldn't be worrying, since the bulkheads were probably inserted (in the construction process) well after the hull was made/formed, but I thought I'd ask of those of you who know your way around GRP construction, and of course, Normans. Thanks, Sal
12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)
Sal Garfi	Posted - 04 Jun 2016 : 08:34:51 Sal
cliveshep	Posted - 04 Jun 2016 : 00:50:57 Haha - good on you then, more power to your elbow! Finally living the dream!
Sal Garfi	Posted - 03 Jun 2016 : 15:48:32 Thanks Clive, you're right, but on this I am aux fait. I've lived with solid fuel stoves (and open fires) most of my adult life and I've been researching SF heating in boats and vans for a while, long before I actually got my boat. Also, I'd fit a CO alarm. My VW camper has a propex heater and I'm not nuts on it. The charcoal stoves seem just right. They've obviously been made for boats, they're small, charcoal is less messy to handle than coal and it's much less heavy, so a greater volume can be had for the same weight (that mitigates the higher price), and they, or their diesel versions are used by the yachting fraternity. I'm also big on ventilation. Since I presently live on my boat part-time (while I work away from home), I'm already using dry heat (though with an oil filled radiator with shore power) and ventilation to keep condensation under control. I'm used to ventilation - my house is old and drafty.., brrrhhh! Sal
cliveshep	Posted - 03 Jun 2016 : 14:39:29 quote: Originally posted by Sal Garfi ....I plan to put a charcoal stove in her. That'll keep us toasty and it's very 'boaty'! Remember its a combustible plastic boat - don't set the thing alight, and do make sure the flue is insulated and you have adequate ventilation - burning charcoal has asphyxiated boaters before. Burning it goves off carbon dioxide, water, and more insidious - carbon monoxide Finally living the dream!
Sal Garfi	Posted - 03 Jun 2016 : 08:57:29 Thanks Clive, and excuse my paranoia, but boats are new to me. Anyway, I'll take your (and df's) advice, and since there's no squeezing between the motor mount and transom then I'll carry on. I do want to enjoy my boat. She's a nice little craft, and all in all, the previous owner looked after her well. She's also old fashioned and I like that. In fact, for our extended inland cruise, I plan to put a charcoal stove in her. That'll keep us toasty and it's very 'boaty'! Thanks again. Sal
cliveshep	Posted - 03 Jun 2016 : 01:53:17 Structurally the double grp transom will carry 15 hp even with a rotten core as the outer skin is supported by the motor well moulding which if you consider it, is narrow with bracing angles stiffening it up, the motor bracket then clamps this lot together making it act as one unit for the purposes of this discussion. Go out and enjoy your boat. For a moisture meter, find one of those damp-proof salesmen who stick them into your house walls to check damp when trying to sell you injected DPC - they use them, or hire one from HSS or Speedy Hire, or buy your own - here at �6.49 if you want to feed your paranoia: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Moisture-Meter-4-Pin-Digital-Damp-Tester-Detector-Plaster-Wood-Timber-Sensor-UK-/271419503191?hash=item3f31dcf257:g:9ksAAOSwEppUO5tR It will read the moisture through the grp transom skin, simply push against the transom all around the motor well and you will see the readings curve will rise around the top, fall off to the sides and bottom. For what it is woth, it will show the same pattern on most outboard boats and certainly all Normans. Why not start up a business - as you are probably the only one now having this information apart from Marine Surveyors, invest �6.50 and go around offering to survey transoms for �35 a time? Honestly, if the motor clamps don't squeeze the inner motor well moulding closer to the outer transom skin you have nothing to worry about, I've been building and re-building everything from trawlers to dinghys for the better part of 50 years so really I know nothing LOL. Finally living the dream!
Sal Garfi	Posted - 02 Jun 2016 : 14:55:56 Yes df, I do intend to cruise only on rivers and canals, and my outboard is only 15hp, and from what I've learnt about many similar boats over the last few months leaves me staggered at how robust they really can be for their ages, and for the possible structural 'ailments' that they might have. But I have to admit that the possibility of a dodgy transom has spooked me a bit, mainly because I'm thinking of doing some considerably long cruises in the not too distant future. In fact, the missus and I are actually thinking of cruising for the better part of a year once my present contract ends. We thought 'why not'? The boat might be small but it's no different - it's actually bigger - than something like a VW camper (one of which we also have) which people will happily travel in for months and even a year or two. So with this being the case, I'd hate to see the transom 'drop off' one day. Sal
df	Posted - 02 Jun 2016 : 13:45:27 If you are only on rivers with fairly low hp I wouldn't worry too much, theres thousands with rotten transoms floating around without sinking, high hp on sea is a different matter. NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community. Visit leomagill.co.uk
Sal Garfi	Posted - 02 Jun 2016 : 13:43:02 Thanks Stratford. Yes, I've done some other searches and come up with this solution, but instead, the pipe was just epoxied into place. However, from what Cliveshep has said, I'm now worried about my transom. I am a worry wort! Sal
stratford4528	Posted - 02 Jun 2016 : 12:02:10 What I have done in my 32 is to drill a hole big enough to take a 19mm plastic pipe then fibreglass the pipe in to seal any water getting into the bulkhead timber. So any water that gets in can drain from the bow to the stern where the bilge pump is.
Sal Garfi	Posted - 02 Jun 2016 : 09:49:17 Thanks for explaining the ingress of water to me (it has been a real mystery), but I hope it sounds more ominous than it really is? I would hate to have rotting wood of 46 years age weakening my transom! You mention using a moisture meter to tell how much moisture there is, but (1) where do I get the right kind of meter, and (2) how do I use it since the wood in the transom is covered in fibreglass? Again, these might be silly questions, but I'm new to all of this. Thanks again, Sal
cliveshep	Posted - 02 Jun 2016 : 01:52:57 You won't hurt the hull by drilling drainage holes in the bulkheads. Norman construction does lend itself to water ingress at the stern, topsides and motor well get bonded to the hull with a downward lap all round except for the transom. Here there is a horizontal lap that covers the transom, not sealed, it follows the well sides to the side deck where it does turn down the outside. Norman trimmed the edge join with a piece of ali trim and it is under that the water gets in and rots the transom starting at the top and travelling down. A moisture meter over the transom will tell how far water has travelled - you'd be surprised! Finally living the dream!

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