Mine (#62 above) is most definitely not solid glass. I have now drilled "core samples." There is a nice wet balsa core on the port side. (Interestingly, while it is very wet, it doesn't seem to be rotten wet. I've taken apart wet balsa core before. My bulkhead seems to be "clean" wet?? Something I haven't seen before.) Given the minor amount of water stain there is A LOT of water in this bulkhead! (Brad, I'd drill a few core samples if I were you.)
There seems to be five layers to my bulkhead starting from aft: veneer, fiberglass, balsa, plywood (apparently a bit less than 1/4"), liner. Both the fiberglass and plywood layers are tabbed into the hull.
I think the reason we don't hear of disaters like with wet bulkheads in J24s is because the plywood and balsa are just stiffeners. In the J24 the plywood in the bulkhead (no balsa) holds the pressure from the chainplate. The glass portion is just a liner on the J24. It looks like the glass in the J30 bulkhead is the "meat." I can not see how 1/4" if plywood and 1/2" of balsa can do much to hold the pressure of the chainplate bolts on a J30.
At any rate, I am considering building the area where the chainplate is bolted out of solid glass and coring the rest with plywood when I do my rebuild. The idea being to isolate the new core from any future potential leaks. I am planning to similarly seal off the areas where wires and waterlines run through the bulkhead. I also think I will substitute glass for the pywood on the foreward side over the area that I rebuild. I suspect if the boat was built like this in the first place I wouldn't have this problem.
Richard, Has the bulkhead on #129 been rebuilt? Or do you think "not all bulkheads were created equal?"
