Seawych 19 iinternal partition wall

[andsotothesea]

Hello, I am new here. Recently bought a seawych 19 that needs some work internaly and keen to take down the internal partition walls to make an open space feel. I was told they are not structural, has any one done it? Any suggestions please?

 

[SaltIre]

Welcome to the forums. The "internal partion walls" might be structural bulkheads holding the deck/mast up and stopping the hull folding inwards. How knowledgable was whoever told you they weren't?
There's a SeaWych 19 owners group on Facebook where you might get specific info.
Seawych boat owners

 

[Praxinoscope]

Saltire has suggested the best way of getting information on the Seawych, but just a quick comment, I had a friend who several years ago had a Seawych, if I remember correctly there is an encapsulated beam that transverses the coach roof to provide support for the mast, BUT, I think the internal partitions provided additional support for this beam, and I would hesitate to remove them.

 

[V1701]

If they are structural you could cut a window or porthole in them? Or hang a mirror...

 

[andsotothesea]

Welcome to the forums. The "internal partion walls" might be structural bulkheads holding the deck/mast up and stopping the hull folding inwards. How knowledgable was whoever told you they weren't?
There's a SeaWych 19 owners group on Facebook where you might get specific info.
Seawych boat owners

Thank you! The person who said partitions are not structural is a super yacht designer now, he said Seawych was his first boat, so I took his comment seriously, still wanted to check if anyone knew something.

 

[andsotothesea]

Saltire has suggested the best way of getting information on the Seawych, but just a quick comment, I had a friend who several years ago had a Seawych, if I remember correctly there is an encapsulated beam that transverses the coach roof to provide support for the mast, BUT, I think the internal partitions provided additional support for this beam, and I would hesitate to remove them.

The partitions are positioned before the beam, hence my hope that they are not supporting much.

 

[andsotothesea]

If they are structural you could cut a window or porthole in them? Or hang a mirror...

Thank you

 

[Tranona]

I built one and knew John Sadler quite well - and the bulkhead is structural. The boat is what it is and an excellent starter boat, but don't mess with it. If you want an open plan interior buy a boat that was designed as one.

 

[VicS]

I would hesitate to remove the main bulk bulkheads from any yacht where they are part of the original design.

I have never heard of anyone removing them but I am aware that some owners fit a compression post to support the mast instead of replacing the support beam when it fails.

There is, as mentioned, a Facebook Group. There is also a message board/forum .
I suggest you join the Owners Association. You will then have access to the message board as well as the FB group, an online Owners Handbook, advice from the Association's team of "Technical advisors" and a four-monthly magazine . Still only £15 !

The mast support beam and the rudder fittings are the only two weaknesses I can think of.

 

[Praxinoscope]

My friends SeaWych did not have the mast support pole shown in your photo #6, so this would appear to be additional structural support for the mast, I would still think the bulkheads are part of the original design to provide support for the mast and the surrounding coachroof as well as adding stiffness to the hull, and as Tranona has said in #8 they are structural so be very careful about removing or modifying them.