My apologies for not remembering who told me this, but someone here told me they had removed the plastic bulkheads in their fiberglass kayak. I'm getting ready to remove my forward bulkhead and replace it with a plywood bulkhead to facilitate mounting a foot pump. I'd appreciate any lessons learned on getting the old plastic bulkhead out. Thanks in advance, Woody *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Robert Woodard wrote: > My apologies for not remembering who told me this, but someone here told me > they had removed the plastic bulkheads in their fiberglass kayak. I'm > getting ready to remove my forward bulkhead and replace it with a plywood > bulkhead to facilitate mounting a foot pump. I'd appreciate any lessons > learned on getting the old plastic bulkhead out. Probably me. The forward bulkhead in my Solstice was made of ABS and had been glued in with a transparent sealant. The only way I could figure out how to remove it was: 1 - Use a Dremel cutting wheel to cut through the bulkhead as close to the hull and deck as possible ( around 1/4 inch). This left a ring of plastic glued to the hull. 2 - Cut through the ring at the keel right to the fiberglass (gently and carefully) 3 - Stick a small blade (I used an assortment of knifes and screwdrivers) until enough sealant is removed/cut/broken to allow a free end of the ring of plastic to be held in the grip of vice-grips. 4 - Pull/twist/strain like hell getting the ring free of the sealant a tiny bit at a time. Rolling the ring back on itself seemed to work best (like opening a can of sardines with a key). 5 - Pull up fragments of sealant left behind (grunt). The cutting took a while, the pulling took a long while and was real pain. Fortunately, I could do this through the front hatch - I'd have probably quit if I had to do it from the cockpit. If you can find a solvent for the sealant you're dealing with that won't harm the fiberglass, consider using it. That sealant is _tough_!!! Mike PS The replacement bulkhead was 4mm Okoume ply covered with two layers of 3 oz fiberglass and West Systems epoxy. I also made a shelf out of the same and attached it to the underside of the deck and to the bulkhead. This makes the bulkhead really solid (suitable for a foot pump) and gives me some storage in a generally unused space. The shelf was three pieces in a \_/ shape, giving me a trapezoidal tube of about ten litres volume. I put drain holes in the shelf where it connected to the bulkhead. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Michael Daly writes: "I also made a shelf out of the same and attached it to the underside of the deck and to the bulkhead. This makes the bulkhead really solid (suitable for a foot pump) and gives me some storage in a generally unused space. The shelf was three pieces in a \_/ shape, giving me a trapezoidal tube of about ten litres volume. I put drain holes in the shelf where it connected to the bulkhead." Sounds like a good idea. But, what happens to your gear stored there when you invert in surf and the contents of the cockpit, unless restrained, are free floating? Do you have a front closure for the shelves that restrains gear but doesn't restrict access? Regards, PT. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Peter Treby wrote: > Michael Daly writes: > "I also made a shelf out of the same and attached it to the underside of the > deck[...]" > Sounds like a good idea. But, what happens to your gear stored there when > you invert in surf and the contents of the cockpit, unless restrained, are > free floating? Do you have a front closure for the shelves that restrains > gear but doesn't restrict access? I keep saying that I'll put a "door" on the shelf, but I never get around to it. I usually carry sunscreen, sunglass case, munchies, toilet paper and scoop (TP in double zip lock and both in a stuff sack) and odds and ends along with a paddling jacket. The latter is the last thing in, so it plugs the opening. I've never had anything fall out yet. If I do put on a door, it'll probably be made of mesh and webbing and/or bungie stuff with some kind of velcro closure. In the meanwhile, it's a good excuse for making sure I always bring a paddling jacket. Mike PS - on the Great Lakes where I paddle, there's no surf... unless there's a hell of a storm blowing. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:07 PDT