Bulkhead 7 Drama

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When I installed BH7, I made it square with the centerboard case - or at least that was what I attempted to do. The BH wasn't aligning very well with the cradle, but since that seems to be one of the most common complaints others have posted about, I wasn't too concerned.

I epoxied it in and everything was looking good until I started adding the other bulkheads.  I just could not seem to get BH8 to line up correctly and still be in the wire holes in the hull panels. 

 

 

 

I even put a laser level to the hull to check for alignment and twist.  All looked fine.

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So I started to look at the alignment from a different perspective.  If I wired in BH8 using the provided holes, then measure from the bulkhead to the aft end, I could see that the BH was parallel with the aft hull.  Measuring the gap between BH8 and BH7 and I found a 3/4-inch difference between the starboard and port sides.  Yup - BH7 was NOT sitting square!

This posed a dilemma.  Do I leave it as is and try to pull the ends into alignment, causing a curve in BH7, or do I make BH8 align with BH7 and ignore the issue of being square and hope it won't bite me later on.

I put this question aside for a day of two while I thought about it and the more I thought about it the more upset over the situation I became.  Then I had and Idea.

BH7 was epoxied to the back of the centerboard case.  Even with the cleats, I would have a straight shot at cutting it out and not seriously damaging the case or BH.

I pulled out my trusty multitool and carefully cut into the joint from one side then the other, keeping the blade flat against the bulkhead.  It worked with only a small amount of damage to the bulkhead and none to the case.  I fixed the bulkhead by troweling in thickened epoxy over the damaged area.  

When I reinstalled BH7 I wired it into the existing panel holes to check the fit.  Everything now appears square with BH7 and BH8 being exactly parallel to each other.  BH 7 is also aligned now with the cradle.  

Scary, but it work!
 

 


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