Alberg 30 Restoration Question.. Lazarette Bulkhead Replacment

I sure will Bajansailor. I am working on the boat this weekend all weekend and I will take some pictures. I finally got tired of things getting in the way of my boat. so I started working on my boat weekends and at least 1 hour a day end of my day.. lucky to have the boat in my shop yard.

 

I bought Alberg 30 #33 in 1970 in Galesville, MD and brought it home to Oriental, NC. A very solid built boat that had zero blisters and no gel coat cracks when sold in 1975. Not a fast boat but capable although a windy close reach under spinnaker could tax arm strength. The tight quarters that the Grey engine was packed in made maintenance harder to do than it would be with more access like you may be considering. I thought the Grey engine was built with real horses and a center main bearing compared to the Atomic 4 that most are equipped with. Not a roomy interior with a relatively narrow beam compared to later boats but well laid out.

Good luck with your restoration of a boat that deserves it.

 

Bajan here is some poor pictures of the old bulkheads that were replaced and tabbed back in .. also two pictures of the bulkheads port and starboard that were behind the ice box and galley. I moved them back 11" I have yet to fiberglass them in.

Bulkheads that I moved back 11" that were behind ice box and galley either side of the companionway
.
The repair of two of the three areas that had wet balsa. Replaced the balsa 3/8" and 2 layers of 17 oz and 2 layers of 1708. I did the repairs from below deck.

The Deck Stepped mast beam completed and temporarily installed. Need to make the new supports that support it that are bolted to the bulkheads.

Two of the new bulkheads reinstalled and tabbed in cockpit side bulkheads. ( I reused the old bulkheads.)


These are the reinstalled bulkheads that support the mast beam, I am almost done with the new supports for the mast beam that bolt to the bulkhead.

the cockpit seats that had laminated teak previously, I removed it and balsa cored it and fiberglassed it solid. I am going to seal and fiberglass this in solid in place. then cut out and install a large rectangular watertight and removable hatch with a chain to secure it from loss. I remember these on my father's boat always being wet inside as the seat hatches leaked. And this boat did as well in the past.

Something along this line.

I also moved the chain locker bulkhead forward 8" to increase the chain locker size. Forgot that picture.

 

It all looks quite impressive - you are doing a grand job there Wesley.
Are you putting the bulkheads in with polyester or epoxy?
The overhead laminating to finish replacing the rotten core in the deck looks pretty impressive as well.
Re the longitudinal stringer / shelf (with some things stowed on it) P & S - are these full length? They must add a huge amount of strength to the hull in the topsides.

 

I am using West System Epoxy now.. was using MAS. I got a really good deal on West system 105. I purchased 2 4.35 gallons of resin and fast hardener all for 675.00, so I changed over to that not long after I started.

Installing the new balsa core from the underside started out messy to be sure. Wasnt a lot of information on it, so it was a learning process. But I've found ways and patience to make it fairly easy. The hardest part is sanding upside down. I have to say the deck sure is solid now, I think I overdid the amount of fiberglass that was actually needed.

The stringer you are talking about is also the top shelf of the cabinet I will be installing in the V-berth, I made it am sure way to thick. But it's done now and not changing it. They run from the V=berth to the chain locker and the ones in the cabin will run from the bulkheads to the bulkheads that I moved back 8 inches, so yes they will be full length. It will also be running between the head and storage locker between the bulkheads. The cabin stringer shelf passing through the cabin will continue right on through the aft bulkheads all the way to the stern.

It's been a lot of work yet it's my happy place lol. Since last year I purchased a 40' shipping container to do a lot of epoxy and woodwork in. I built in a 12x8 foot reflective insulated room and a Chinese diesel heater to be able to cure all the epoxy work that I can before I install in the boat. So this winter I'll be getting a major amount of work done.
My plan is to have this floating spring 2022.
Regardless of all the work, this is the project ive been anticipating for many years and am having so much enjoyment with it.

 

Excellent! I was thinking that maybe the longitudinal stringers on the hull topsides were original. You have done an excellent job re laminating them in.

And overhead laminating is never fun - you did a good job there.
I love the heated workshop next door - that will certainly help a lot.

 

The longitudinal stringers that are in the cabin are original.. but I will be taking them out shortly and putting new ones in. The originals were only about 5 feet long ending at the galley. The new ones will run full length.. I left the old ones in because of the convenience of the shelf while fiberglassing the underside of the deck.
Thank you for your support.

 

Wesley,

I am about to embark on a redesign of my Alberg 30 to include gutting, bulkhead modifications, water tank relocation, and galley/settee shift. I have followed your posts. Do you have any photos of the work in progress.

Thanks