Helm Bulkhead Cutaway on the 25

A

Alyssa Jean

New member
Some of us had been talking about cutting away the left area of the hem bulkhead for quite a while. At the Friday Harbor CBGTG we got to see what it looks like after Jim and Laurie of Laurna Jo performed this surgery to theirs. I will have to say that it really opens up the V berth both for ease of entry and air circulation. It also makes the interior visually more spacious. This is pretty much how the Tomcat looks out of the factory. So next to do it a few days ago was Pat on Daydream. I did mine yesterday. Took about an hour. I removed the momentary wiper switch, sissy bar, and an extra 12V plug that I had previously installed. Then some plastic taped up to keep the dust contained and about 15 minutes with the roto drill a two bits and it was out. The thickness of the main area of the partition is 1/2". Patti has found some 1/2" edge trim that will finish of the edges as they looked before and should match the rest of the edging. The remaining shelf is supported on the port side by the remaining 10-12" of the bulkhead and one of the bolts at the bottom. And it is well attached all along the top under the windows.

These three boats were purchased together at one sit down at the 2005 Seattle Boat Show.

If privacy is an issue a simple curtain could be made by any canvas maker to replace the one that originally came with the boat. (The one that we have never used in 5 years) We just curtain the whole boat at night.

I put three pictures in my album under Upgrades (page 2).

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Captains Cat":10i5ngps said:
Don't think so Warren. Both David and Pat did their 16's quite some time ago.
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That is what I thought and the photo above is not a 16 but I did not see photos in the Anna Leigh album of the job, just the 16 album.

Anyway, it is something I want to do on the 22 eventually, also.

Warren
 
...some 1/2" edge trim that will finish of the edges as they looked before and should match the rest of the edging.
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I assume you're refering to the black pinch welt? Where did she locate it? I've been unable to find it in that width.

It's a nice alteration. I may just put it on the winter "to do" list.
 
Patti found it Go2Marine.com.

SKU Description Quantity Price Each Amount
163152 1/2" x 19/32" Flexible Vinyl Trim - 25' Black 1 53.58 53.58

We are going to split the 25". Probably only need 8" to re-edge the whole opening.
 
Nice job. You know, I hated the narrow cuddy entry on our 22's, and I really hate the storage access on our 16 Angler. I always used to bash my elbows in the 22's, and the storage compartment on my 16 seems like a "hole into which things get thrown". I've been poring over the photos of your past 16 Angler bulkhead mods and I'm ready to fire up the Dremel. I think the change will be transformative. Thanks for the inspiration. I believe W. Marine has rolls of that Taco edge material as well. Best, Mike.
 
Susan and I have talked about this for the 27. not to get in and out but to allow her to turn around at the table and face forward with a place to put her feet. we would only need to cut out about two feet worth. She misses the forward facing seat of the 22 and this would be the easist way to achive a forward facing seat.
 
Steady Eddy.

I am not sure that a Dremel would be up for the job. I used a rotodrill and still went through three bits. P[at used a saber saw I think. The bulkhead on the 25 for the most part is 1/2" thick. However you do it, get it marked with a pencil and go slow, stay right on the line and you can get a nice straing edge. Then 1/2" dege trim will cover the edge when you are through. I left the existing edge on the starboard edge and the top of the existing entryway. There will be a transition from the newly cut 1/2" to the existing 1/4" which when left edged with the 1/4" hopefully will be 1/2" OD and I am hoping that I can put the 1/2" right over the 1/4" and have the whole opening continuous with the new edgeing.

Westward: I don't think WM has any the is 1/2". They do have 1/4 in both white and black. Check and see what you will need for the 22. I could be anything from 1/4" to 1/2" depending on what or if they cored the bulkhead for regidity.
 
The cutaway looks really nice. I have considered doing that on our 22, but I am a bit hesitant because of the possible loss of torsional rigidity. We get in some pretty sloppy stuff when offshore.

Does anyone have any feedback for the cutaway on a 22?
 
I haven't done it, yet. But mainly because I don't have a forward facing seat, and I would have to also change the seat to make it work. That bulkhead really doesn't add much structurally. They are pretty much held in there with pop rivets and screws. If you do the cutout, you still have the shape and nearly the same rigidity that the bulkhead had originally. The classics didn't have any bulkhead at all and there isn't much difference in the hulls.
 
I agree with Lloyd's: on our 22's the bulkhead did not seem to be structurally integral to the hull. They were attached with screws in a few places, and not attached at all in much of their perimeter area. I suspect the shelf structure in a 22 (the one with the recess for the porta-potty and on top of which the cushion sits) imparts tremendous strength and rigidity. I'd think the bigger issue would be tradeoff considerations between your boat with/without that part of the bulkhead. I'm going for it on my 85 16Angler this weekend, but might not have on my (previous) 07 22Angler. good luck, Mike.
 
The cutaway looks really nice. I have considered doing that on our 22, but I am a bit hesitant because of the possible loss of torsional rigidity. We get in some pretty sloppy stuff when offshore.

Does anyone have any feedback for the cutaway on a 22?
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I completely agree with the two comments after the question quoted above.. The bulkhead is only structuraly attached from port to starboard under the windows with something better than 5200, pop rivits and screws. There is nothing on the sides that are attached to the hull and three or four 1/4" lag screws that hold the bottom to the backing of the V berth along the bottom.
 
I am a new (4 weeks) owner of a 2007 25 Cruiser. The bulkhead cutaway looks like a great idea. Question: Is this not a structural bulkhead? Looks like if it is that the boat would lose some designed in rigidity. I am a reformed sail boater. Most of the bulkheads in my boats were pretty important. Just asking.

Cheers
 
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