bad bulkhead

[fusto]

So I've got this bulkhead on my Medalist thats been giving me pause and I'm not sure what to do with it.

Its a major bulkhead between the stbd side cockpit locker and galley/accommodations.
The odd thing about this bulkhead is that its made from two pieces of plywood instead of just one solid sheet, and the seam runs from left to right.

There was a water leak at some point (that has since been fixed), that allowed water to run down the cockpit locker side of the bulkhead and collect along this seam. This caused the lower part of the bulkhead to essentially rot away.

I guess technically I should rip the whole bulkhead out and tab in a new one, but all of the galley joinery is attached to this bulkhead, and I'm a bit leery of pulling apart any of the original mahogany woodwork. Way out of my comfort zone.
Any suggestions for alternatives?
The existing bulkhead is tabbed in pretty well and through bolted through the tabbing with bronze bolts.
You cant see this bulkhead from anywhere in the boat except the cockpit locker.
Would it be kosher to make another bulkhead and fasten/epoxy it to this existing one?
Or would that be really cheesy?

Since a picture is worth a thousand words heres a pic. Although I guess I used up the thousand words too...

[windrose]

cutting out all of the rot, putting another piece of marine grade ply into the spot where you cut out the soft wood pulling it all back together with some heavy biaxial cloth and then covering the entire piece with another piece of marine grade ply as a backer.

Most importantly, make sure the leak is stopped and try to make it so you can see any leak that may develope in the future. Why did it rot so low, is it coming in the portlights and running down the seatee behind the cabinetry on the saloon side?

[Tim]

As you say, ideally it'd be nice to simply replace the entire bulkhead. However, situations aren't always ideal, and often there are compelling and legitimate reasons to avoid such drastic measures.

You can patch the bulkhead much as windrose suggested. Your first step is to cut back the old, rotted material until you reach sound, fresh wood. Make a clean cut. Assuming the rot is generally limited to the area you've shown, it doesn't look like this will be a huge piece. If you find the rot extends well down into the bulkhead towards the hull and tabbing, you may have to take another approach.

An epoxied repair piece, further secured with fiberglass on the exposed side, will be very strong, particularly as a smallish patch in an otherwise sound bulkhead. Assuming the patch is of reasonable size and properly executed, I don't see a reason to sister the bulkhead afterwards.

The key to success is to dispose of all existing rot and punky wood, to ensure that the remaining bulkhead is truly dry and sound, and to stop the source of the leak, whatever it was. So whatever route you take, be sure to clean out any questionable material before proceeding in any direction. One often finds that the appropriate repair or replacement route is made more clear once the demolition is complete, so keep your options open until after you've prepared the area.

Good luck.

[fusto]

The leak was from a poorly bedded bronze deckplate in the cockpit seat.
The water weeped in around the plate, ran down the underside of the bench until it hit the bulkhead, ran down the bulkhead and then wicked along the seam.

Theres really no more rot than what I already ripped out. I would probably cut off another inch on the top and the bottom all the way across, that would get me to good wood.

Do I need to scarf the piece in or can I just cut it to fit and epoxy the edges?

[Quetzalsailor]

What Zachary only hinted at is just how lovely the interior of a Medalist is. All varnished Makore (African Cherry).

Looks like you're lucky in that the rotten area is below the countertop. Your approach to remove the offending material and fit a 'dutchman' is right on target. Coat out all the exposed edges that you can access. Fit the new piece in flush and add the doubler across all the joints from the lazarette side. Neatly done, no one will even suspect. The doubler could be 1/2" plywood, beveled edges, and coated. My galley bulkhead is 1/2"; yours is probably the same.

The plastic conduit can be worked around, and it looks like you've got plenty of room to work; at least you can see the problem. I don't know what space you might have to use some neat cutting tool. Perhaps a laminate trimmer, which would mill right through the bronze screws coming from the galley casework.

How do you feel about where the bulkhead is slotted into the tabbing? I think that Chris (Weatherbird) told us that the LeComtes were not really tabbed but that the bulkheads were installed into those prepared slots and bolted. Those bronze bolts are pretty small and likely to be corroded.

[fusto]

I feel pretty good about how the bulkhead is adhered to the hull.
The tabbing/bolted glass slot seems pretty stout, and the one or two bolts I did try to remove were in there quite well and were still intact.

Sometime this week I'll be trying to cut out a neat rectangular area in the bulkhead to remove the rot, and slotting in a new piece of ply.
I'll glass it as suggested and double up any seams with some more ply.
I may even add some glass lower down where the bulkhead meets the hull just for additional waterproofing on the locker side of the bulkhead.

The joinery is quite nice (although in need of some TLC), thats why I'm afraid to start ripping it out.
I'd like to get out sailing for a couple of years and then maybe tuck into modifying the accommodations.