Painting bulkheads

[Strathglass]

There have been one or two posts about whether to paint bulkheads. Or to strip them back to bare wood and revarnish them.

Rather than tag on the end of an existing topic. I thought I would start a new one.

I have been building a boat from a bare hull over a fairly long time - restrictions being time and finance availability.

Because of this some of the interior wood was darkening and looking distinctly shabby.

I decided to paint the bulkheads. They were sapele and had been epoxy coated.

This is a photo of the state of one of the bulkheads.

At the time the photo was taken I had added a deck support (the blue pole) as I was planning on a deck stepped mast.

I have since decided on a keel stepped mast and a stub of the mast section is sitting in one of the following two photos.

The vertical wooden pole covers the deck hold down wire.
I have used a matt light cream paint.

This photo shows a small seat (with lap seat belt) with the CD/radio behind it.
Some of the iroko mouldings are fairly new and have not darkened yet (which they will) and I still have to varnish some of the sapele.

All the upholstry is finished but is not shown. It is the blue/green tartan which B/Cal used on there planes some time in the past.

I am getting nearly finished and yesterday ordered the twin foil roller reefing - Ouch £££.

I think the lightening of the interior engances the appearance and makes the remaining wood look better.

I would have prefered to stay with an all wood interior but it was just too dark.

Iain

 

[Shannoner]

Looks great Iain, how did you prepare the wood and what type of paint and colour did you use?
I have been told that painting the saloon in a light colour makes it much brighter and gives a feeling of more space, what do you think?

 

[Jake]

Here here!

Great job, Iain. Love the door!

I have exactly the same dilemma in a 39ft concrete boat I have acquired as a potential liveaboard. Both sides of the forward bulkhead are varnished plywood - looks nice, but whole interior is very dark and slightly foreboding, especially as there are no eye-level ports to look out of.

My solution will be to paint the bulkhead (keeping the varished door as you have) but offset the bland look with some pictures, a foldaway TV screen, and a highly polished Dickinson S/S solid fuel heater.

I'm going for an off-white, as a gloss can look a bit clinical. The headlining is also a bright white. (Painted ply at the moment, but will be replaced with plywood panels, backed with Thinsulate, and covered in white foam-backed vinyl)

Dark, varnished woods can be complimented with brighter colours, so the two balance each other out. As another addition, I'm adding some overhead opening hatches to stream daylight into this dark area of the boat, and add some extra ventilation. A light coloured carpet will also 'lift' this area.

As for roller reefing, it's a great investment, especially if short-handed, but I'm sticking to my twin forestays. Less to (potentialy) go wrong. I am, however, adding an inner forestay that I might just roller - just for ease of use.

Looks a great project. I agree with your theory that you never seem to have enough time, or money - but the satisfaction of a job well done is enormous!

 

[Strathglass]

Try and answer both questions.

The paint I used was Wickes 'professional' undercoat colour off white.

Very easy to apply and gives a great finish.

I just ? sanded dowh the bulkheads until they were flat and brushed on three coats. I sanded them between each coat.

Jake, Just taken another three photos with the upholstry in.
They show the continuation of the door pattern onto the table.

There are big fiddles when the table is folded small, but no fiddles when it is folded out. Two sets of legs allow it to extend up to a double bunk.

There are one or two marks on the camera lens and I still have some varnishing to do.
The first photo is with the table small in the sea going position.

You will see that I have covered the shroud tubing with iroko similar to the deck support rod.


The second picture is with the table extended. The absence of fiddles can be seen.

When the shorter legs are used the table height is set to allow the seat back to be used as a matress for the outer double bunk.

The third photo is the door into the aft cabin and the wet locker.

The wet locker drains into the bilge and is lined with polyprop carpet. The three slatted shelves in the pigeon holes also drain into the wet locker. I have still to fit vents on the wet locker door.

I thing the off white really sets off the dark varnished wood.

Roller reefing. I do have a full set of sails specifically for a twin foil. I also have an unused Hood gemini with all the bits.

But, I will be cruising mainly with my wife and she has only sailed with a rolling forestay.

Life is about compromises and it would be unfair of me to expect her to bundle 450 square feet of genoa onto or off the deck.

The roller reefing I have just ordered will allow me to remove the drum if I wish to race seriously. So hopefully I will have the best of both worlds.
I have however fitted a removable forestay on to which I can fit a 100% long luff jib with a slab reef or the storm jib for heavier weather.

There is also a removable babystay.

I don't imagine that I will fit the gemini foil. It will be another bit which I will be disposing off.

The hull has never seen the water yet, but it will be completely finished by the spring of next year.

Best of luck with your fero craft

Cheers

Iain