Hello everybody.
Last year I picked up Vampire (Hull #18), formerly owned by Don Millie in Victoria, BC. I have done a fair amount of work on her, and have a seemingly endless amount left to go. I love the boat so far and have enjoyed the time spent on her.
I noticed my aft bulkhead (the arch under the bridge deck/companionway entrance, over the engine, which supports the steps). I was browsing through some old threads and found
this thread. I believe my bulkhead is also rotting out and I will replace it this spring.
Can anybody recommend a material type to use for this bulkhead? I will most likely use a Marine grade plywood, and reuse the same veneer if possible. But should I get the uber-expensive custom stuff (Aquatek, Hydrotek)? Or can I get the marine-grade stuff from the local lumber yard?
I plan to seal the surfaces and edges of the finished plywood before reinstalling it. I may also apply a layer of glass, although that might be overkill.
I will also investigate cracking in the bridge deck, although that may be due to the aft bulkhead failing. Later this spring I plan to replace the nonskid deck (to keep the kids from slipping off the boat), so if I need to take care of deck repairs in this area it will be a good time to fix everything.
Edit: This is what the bulkhead looks like. Mine is identical to the pics from post I listed