V-berth Platform Tops & Aft Bulkheads

May 4, 2019

I wanted to get the v-berth platform tops completed today, and ultimately prep them for final installation.  To that end, I needed to complete the locker lids and the supportive cleats: port, starboard and the forward center hatch.

I began by installing the already prepared cleats on the port half of the v-berth platform. I had cut out the locker hatch lid in a  previous work session, and I also had prepared the cleats for both the port and starboard lockers.  I marked the orientation lines for the four cleats, and one by one clamped them in place to pre-drill for fasteners.  With the fastener holes drilled, I wiped the surface down and then glued and screwed each cleat in its final resting place.

I wiped the excess glue (squeeze out) from the surface and then flipped the platform over to test the hatch lid.  Completed port half of the v-berth platform.

I repeated this exercise for the starboard half, but also had to cut out the hatch lid.  I did this by marking the hatch itself on the underside of the platform, and then used an oscillating tool to cut along the lines in order to allow my jigsaw to then access and cut the lines.  With the lid removed, I marked the center and cut out the finger hole.  I then installed the cleats by gluing and screwing, and the starboard half was then complete.

My next task was to create a new hatch lid for the locker that is forward and on the center line of the platform.  Since it was necessary to create the v-berth platform in two sections (to fit through the companionway), the center line hatch lid needed to be created from a new, single board.  I used the two halves to create a rough outline of the new hatch lid, and then created cleats to support the lid.

I installed the port side's center hatch support cleats.

I then installed the starboard side's center hatch support cleats.

With the two halves in situ, I then sanded and trimmed the center hatch lid to the point of it fitting well.  The v-berth platform is now complete, and nearly ready for final installation.

Before I epoxy the v-berth platform in place, I needed to get to the small bulkheads located at the aft of the v-berth itself.  The v-berth was open at this location on both sides, and to prevent items from rolling around the cabin or coming loose from their intended locker, I wanted to close off the aft ends of the v-berth to allow for more secure storage.  

I created templates of what would eventually become bulkheads, beginning with the starboard side.

I then completed the port side template.

Back in the shop, I laid the templates out onto 1/2" meranti plywood, traced the outlines and removed them from the material.

The bulkheads required a bit of fine tuning, but I quickly resolved them to their required dimensions. I checked for plumb - port bulkhead.

I repeated the shaping and fine tuning, and checked the starboard bulkhead for plumb.  With both bulkheads in place and plumb, I marked their outline on the hull itself, both forward and aft.  This would allow me to place a layer of thickened epoxy on the hull to help bed the bulkhead during installation.  I then wiped all surrounding surfaces down with acetone to prep for resin application.

Back in the shop, I prepared the lengths of 6" 1708 biaxial tape for the tabbing: four pieces at 20" in length, one on the forward and one on the aft side of each bulkhead.  Next, I mixed a small pot of resin and wet out the total surface of each bulkhead, and then the surface of the hull to prep for the bulkhead installation.   

I then mixed resin to wet out the tabbing material, the lengths of biaxial tape.  With the leftover resin, I thickened it with 406 colloidal silica and 407 low-density, and spread a layer along the hull where the bulkhead would touch it.  I placed the bulkhead into position, using a small tool to press the thickened epoxy into the gaps and clean up the excess.

With the bulkheads in place and the tabbing wet out, I then mixed more thickened epoxy resin and applied it to the forward and aft intersections of bulkhead and hull.  With the same small tool, I created a fillet along the length of the bulkhead-hull intersection.  This radius would allow the 1708 biaxial tabbing material to lay down without any voids forming, it would have continuous contact from bulkhead to hull.

I then applied the tabbing material to the forward and aft sides of the bulkhead.  This tabbing would strengthen the bulkheads installation by tying it onto the hull itself, spreading load across the length of the tabbing and up into the bulkhead - not that a low of load is expected for this little bulkhead.

I cleaned up the excess resin and then wrapped it up for the day.  It is likely that the next work session will involve sanding the recent epoxy work (no peel ply material was used), and then painting of the lockers prior to the v-berth final install.

Total Time Today: 5.75 hrs