Thread: bulkhead 3 reference line

No answers, huh? I can't help (yet) but consider that the worst you could be is 6mm off. Or you can commit to being 3mm wrong by centering the edge on the line

Consider that there are places in the plan where MIK is very specific about the dimensions (most of the tapers, etc) and this isn't one off them.

I'm waiting to hear a better answer myself!


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Sorry for the slow response. I had no recollection and it isn't completely clear from the plans. But I went out to look at my boat and I can see residual pencil marks still just barely visible under the varnish.

From those marks, I can tell you that I matched the forward face of bulkhead #3 to the line.

Note that I choose my words carefully. I'm not saying that's the right way to do it. It's just the way I did it. I did enough things wrong on my build that I can't honestly make the stronger statement.

And that's why you should listen to Dave. There's some flexibility here to be off a bit and still have everything turn out okay.

MIK is clear about the places where it really matters. And even in those places, there is room to screw up. Wrapping the sides around the bulkheads, at least if you do it alone, like I did, is like wrestling with an octopus. Bulkheads are sliding about, screws are pulling out of the cedar, epoxy is getting in places we don't talk about in polite company. At the end of the day, you are elated that your boat has "gone 3D". But the next morning, you'll notice that none of your bulkheads are exactly where they should be.

And that's okay. Three of my bulkheads ended up several mm too high and would not touch the bottom. Two were so high that I had to add a strip of plywood to their bottoms to make them touch. The third was a little better and only required a great big squirt of epoxy to fill the gap. No problem. The shape is still right, the curves run fair, and it looks fine.

So if I've steered you wrong and you're off by 6mm, you are still okay.

Tip #1: Have some spare rope handy to make Spanish windlasses with. It helps keep the screws from pulling out of the cedar.

Tip #2: Denatured alcohol takes off the pencil marks much better than erasers and sanding. I SO wish I'd known that before I varnished my boat. Although then I wouldn't be able to answer your question.

I lined up the aft face of bulkhead 3 with the pencil line. My reasoning was that it was the visible ply face (not obscured by framinng). Like Dave said, I don't think it's enough of a shift in position to affect hull shape. Wonder which way MIK intended it to be.

Wish I had known about the alcohol pencil eraser. Thanks for the tip Paulie.

The answer is on page 25 of the building manual: the bulkhead ply face is to line up with the reference lines on the side panels.

Best regards, Joost

Hi Andy,

Try to get it as exactly lined up as possible, but it doesn't really matter which part of the ply - it is only a maximum 6mm deviation. The building method makes sure there will be no hollows or bumps with that sort of deviation and there is enough allowance in the ply for the seat tops to make up any difference.

Best wishes
Michael.