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 Post subject: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 6:29 pm 
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Joined: Sun Jan 16, 2011 9:18 pm
Posts: 287
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
Keith (Chekika) asked me how I installed a watertight bulkhead in my TI.

Image

I made it out of 3" foam block available at my local kayak store. It is mini cell foam used to install bulkheads, make thigh pads, seats, etc. in kayaks. The location I picked is just aft of the mast, where the cockpit well starts. The Mirage well acts as a support for the back of the center piece.

The bulkhead is made from three sections. For each section I made a cardboard template. The center piece fits exactly between the keel groves. I had to slightly notch the middle for the Mirage well. First you dry fit the piece. Using a belt sander I shape the foam to a final tight fit.

The glue that I use is GOOP Plumbing Cement available at Home Depot. I used about three tubes. First I mark the dry position of the bulkhead inside the boat. Then I remove the foam and put ample amount of GOOP in the marked area and sides of the foam. This is messy. Don't worry, the Goop can be pealed off once dry. Insert the foam and let it dry.

After the bulkhead piece is in, go back into the boat and work extra GOOP around the edges filling any gaps. GOOP smells like airplane cement. Use plenty of ventilation. Repeat several times until you get a nice fillet of glue all the way around. Reach behind the bulkhead and fill as much as you can before inserting the next foam piece.

The sides are made the same way. The back of the top needs to be profiled. Glue the three sections together.

Once you have all three parts in and glued from the front, the hard part is to reach through the round hatch and apply glue to the back. Long hands needed. This is a Hudini trick.

After I was satisfied that the bulkhead was watertight, I filled the front with water. Make sure you support the boat. You can spray with a hose also.

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2011 Adventure Island


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 7:16 pm 
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
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Location: South Florida
Well done, Paul. Looks very professional.

Thanks for info and pictures.

Keith

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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 8:14 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:34 pm
Posts: 252
That foam is better and I guess cheaper than cutting up a boogie board.
Did you use plumbing goop over marine goop because of the materials involved?
What is the white tube taped to the mast receiver?
Excellent modification for so many reasons.

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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 9:44 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:45 pm
Posts: 343
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Nice job! When I get my A.I., that's definitely a mod that's high on my list...

One question though: how did you manage to make an accurate template?

It doesn't seem like it would be the easiest location to mark-out!

Cheers,

Mike.


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 11:43 pm 
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Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 2:53 am
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Location: Sollentuna, Sweden, Europe
Excellent work!

Maybe even more important in kayak mode when you don´t have the amas as floating help.

Btw, I have read that when you do this job in a SINK kayak, you finnish with making a small (1 mm) hole in the bulkhead for letting pressure even out. You place the hole somewhere high, couple of centimeters from deck.

But maybe this is not adequate on a TI.

best regards from Sweden

thomas


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:41 am 
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Location: Virginia Beach, VA
To answer some questions:

I made the template using a lot of Pizza boxes, in sections. First I drew a straight line where I wanted the bulkhead. I used a bendy foam ruler laid flat.

Then you put a reference mark to draw the shape in smaller parts. Rough cut a small section (20%) to a general shape. Put inside the boat and align one corner to the reference mark. Lay your pen flat against the hull and draw a line. Cut off that edge. Keep scribing and cutting until you get a perfect fit.

Where one sections ends start another, overlapping so that you can mate the two pieces. From the two you make one larger one. You might have to scribe that for a better fit. You keep joining the pieces until you have a 1/3 of the complete bulkhead.

================
The white tube is my spare battery pack for my navigational lights for the EC Race. US Coast Guard requires Red/Green bow light for boats over 16' long.

===============
I used the plumbing version of GOOP because it seems to work better on Polyethylene. The plumbing glue is designed for plastic pipe to stop leaks. I first played with it when looking for a repair glue for the EC. I keep a half full tube in my Emergency repair kit in the boat.

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Paul
DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island


http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 7:05 pm 
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Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:07 pm
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Location: Saint Johns, Florida
DogsLife wrote:
The glue that I use is GOOP Plumbing Cement available at Home Depot. I used about three tubes...... This is messy. Don't worry, the Goop can be pealed off once dry. Insert the foam and let it dry.


If the Goop peals off when dry why will the bulkheads stay attached?

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St. Johns, Florida
2010 TI
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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 11:31 am 
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Location: Virginia Beach, VA
You cut the bulkhead slightly larger for a tight fit. Goop will peal but it takes some doing. Pressed inbetween the bulkhead and hull or used as a fillet it works quite well. Also the middle section sits upagainst the front of the Mirage well. The bulkhead is quite stable, I have filled the front with water with no give...

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DogsLife
2011 Adventure Island


http://dogslifeadventures.blogspot.com/


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Mon May 09, 2011 4:52 am 
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Joined: Sun May 08, 2011 6:36 am
Posts: 59
Location: CT
:?: I was wondering if an air inflated watertight bulkhead is available? That way you could move it around the hull and it would be easier than making the template.

I can only think of an exercise ball that could be inflated w/i hull that might fit the volume....Maybe? Not?


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Tue May 10, 2011 7:28 am 
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Joined: Mon Jul 19, 2010 7:53 am
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Location: Palm City, Florida
FraznDaf,
I'm not quite sure what you mean, but check this NRS site:
http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product_list.asp?deptid=1760
If not this item, perhaps they have something like what you're looking for.

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Ezra Appel
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2014 Tandem Island


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Mon Sep 12, 2011 9:12 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 07, 2007 6:44 pm
Posts: 162
DogsLife wrote:
To answer some questions:

The white tube is my spare battery pack for my navigational lights for the EC Race. US Coast Guard requires Red/Green bow light for boats over 16' long.


Are there no exceptions for this type of craft? The rules for a boat over 16 feet don't seem to make sense for this boat.


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:41 am 
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Joined: Sun May 22, 2011 3:15 pm
Posts: 183
Location: Camas, WA
It would be nice if Hobie made the cross section dimensions available so we could easily pre-cut the foam. Maybe evan a template?

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Dune TI - 6/4/2011
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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:31 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 12:34 pm
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Could make the template based on the exterior shape where you intend to install the bulkhead and then just trim off the thickness of the hull.


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 Post subject: Re: TI Bulkhead
PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:10 am 
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:02 am
Posts: 318
Location: Cape Coral, FL
The only product that sticks to rotomold boats is called Lexal. Ace hardware sells it and it comes in clear and white. Sticks to anything, can be used underwater or in wet conditions. Comes in caulk tubes and smaller toothpaste sized tubes. I've used it for quite a few projects and have been very happy with result. Was recommended to me by Perception when my foam bulkhead broke loose, been using it ever since.

Cheers,

J

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