Re: [Paddlewise] Plastic Bulkheads

    I haven't a clue of what I'm talking about here but I have been toying 
with the same thing but not taking out the bulkhead. I was thinking of using 
the minicell foam, maybe 2"-3"thinck collar with the wood glassed into a deep 
channel, maybe all but the last inch, into the foam then the foam glued and 
glassed to the hull. That would allow for me to push it in really tight and 
get a form fit with very simple trimming, Question is: will that be strong 
enough for the pressure of the foot pump? If it is pushed really tightly into 
the "V" of the bow I'd think it would take the pumping pressure. If not I'm 
not really any worse off because I'll have the same resources I have now, a 
hand pump and the original bulkhead.
    What happens if water gets strapped behind it? I guess it depends on the 
placement, volume and conditions. Any suggestions on how to test what would 
happen? The space looks to be about 6" deep by about 18" diameter. I don't 
recall the math for the volume. Maybe 3 liters? Can anyone think of a way to b
uild in a safety valve to empty if it breached at the top?
    I don't need any more arm and shoulder development than I get paddling. 
Pumping is a bore. All suggestions welcome.

Joan Spinner
   * * *
Trying to stay dry on the Chesapeake Bay watershed
In a red, CD Breeze or
a yellow/white Dagger Meridian SK (if Dagger will fix the skeg!)

In a message dated 1/18/00 9:33:15 PM, dkruger_at_pacifier.com writes:

<< Small caveat about installing a (rigid) plywood bulkhead inside a glass 
boat: 
because the hull (and deck) flex under load -- even at the bulkhead locations
-- most mfrs use a bulkhead material which can stretch or compress.  Mine have
bluefoam bulkheads.  Strong enough for my uses, but unfortunately not strong
enough for a pump installation.  This reduces the chance that the seal around
the bulkhead (to the inner hull/deck surfaces) will fail when the hull
"breathes."

Mind you, I am offering the following in complete ignorance, having never 
tried
what you are up to, but:  you may need to surround the plywood with a 2-inch 
by
2-inch "collar" of minicell or somesuch to provide the flex needed.  Being 
that
dimension, the minicell should be able to withstand the lateral forces your
pump arrangement will generate when you activate it. >>

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