[Paddlewise] Installing a new bulkhead

Hi fellow paddle fiends,
I know the general pros and cons of bulkheads were discussed awhile back:
foolishly I did not save the postings. I'm considering removing a existing
forward bulkhead in my fibreglass/Kevlar vinylester resin kayak, and
installing a new one further aft. The advantages I see are two-fold: more
usable cargo space, and reduced cockpit flooding in the event of a wet
exit. Neither of these benefits will materialise unless the new bulkhead is
as solid and watertight as the existing, factory-installed one is.
So suggestions welcomed on:

1. Materials for the bulkhead itself. The existing bulkhead is a moulded
plastic, and I would prefer a somewhat flexible material so that there some
"give" lest the bulkhead lever itself loose and/or act as a "stress riser"
that weakens the hull. I'm considering the flexible Minicell foam used in
some plastic boats, but wondering whether it gets gouged by loose cargo.

2. Suggestions on how to make a template for the bulkhead and getting the
tightest fit possible. 

3. Appropriate glues/sealants to hold the bulkhead in place. For the same
reasons of flex discussed in part 1 above, I'm not keen on glassing it in.
I've used Sika-Flex sealant very successfully on smaller through-deck and
through-hull fittings. Any ideas or experience with this or other products? 

4. Reputable, reasonable sources in the Vancouver, BC, area who might do
the whole thing for me?

Breathlessly waiting being deluged by the fountain of knowledge that is
PaddleWise.

Philip Torrens
"The opinions expressed in this posting are not necessarily those of my
employer, or indeed, of any sentient being."


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Mountain Equipment Co-op
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Vancouver, BC, Canada V6J 1K1
Tel: 640-732-1989
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email: pid_at_mec.ca

Visit our website at: http://www.mec.ca
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