Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

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Jason Builder
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Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by Jason Builder »

Buenos Dias Scampers!

Seems the SCAMP design has received some relatively minor, but potentially quite handy, tweeks. From what I gather on this forum, the new design includes 1. A footwell (I have already custom built one into my MKI SCAMP kit build) 2. slightly wider seat-tops (I will sail the boat first before making any seat-width modifications) 3. A smaller opening in B4 between the veranda and the cockpit.....this I like, and I just retrofitted/modified my MKI SCAMP to this new Bulkhead 4 concept. See details on that below. I welcome the new MKII upgrades and ideas from the designers, I think they can be made by anyone with a MKI that so desires. The original design is a beauty, upgrade if you want, or enjoy the wonderful original design! All design changes are a compromise as we all know....the original design of B4 may be better for those who day sail in light wind and want easy open access and views from the veranda. Now on with how I retrofitted B4 on the SCAMP "Argo".

As noted on the forum, potential benefits wider "walls" on the port and starboard side of the opening into the veranda/cabin area are as follows:
1. If the boat is on its side, these walls will allow less water to enter the boat than the original larger opening into the cabin.
2. The more enclosed Veranda should provide a bit more shade/protection from the elements when one sits in the veranda
3. Sitting in the cockpit, facing aft, one can lean up against the new wider surfaces of bulkhead 4 at the forward end of the cockpit seats.
4. If I don't like it, I can always cut it back to the MKI design.

I am building a MKI kit right now, and B4 is not yet filleted to the roof, and it is not finish-painted yet. I took the following steps to modify it:

1. Cut out a slightly oversize piece of 9mm thick Joubert Marine Grade Okuome and clamped it in place on the forward face of B4.
IMG_0269.JPG
2. Traced the exact profile of the existing B4 onto the new plywood filler piece.
IMG_0270.JPG
3. I cut out the profile of the existing B4, and then hand drew how I wanted the new opening to look, slight belly in the opening and then a large radius at the top where the filler meets the existing B4. I wanted it to look kind of organic and with some curves. Here is the first piece, it is close tolerance enough that when I put it in place , it stuck. Liking the way it looked, I used the first filler piece as a template and traced out and cut a second one.
IMG_0272.JPG
continued in next post below.
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Last edited by Jason Builder on Mon Oct 09, 2017 5:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-Jason

Builder of SCAMP#349 "Argo": Build log at http://www.argobuilder.com
Caretaker of these fine ships:
-SCAMP "Argo"
-1981 Compac 16 Pilothouse "Lillyanna"
-Old Towne 16' Canoe
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Jason Builder
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by Jason Builder »

continued from above post....

4. Then I marked out locations for five (5), #20 size biscuits, 1 on the top edge, 3 on the side edge, and 1 on the bottom edge, of each filler piece. Then I cut in the biscuit slots in the filler pieces and in the existing B4. Took some fancy work with my biscuit joiner on some of the inside curves of B4, but got 'er done nicely.
IMG_0273.JPG
5. Then I sanded B4 down to bare wood and sanded a bevel into the face of all pieces where the joint is. I will fill and fair this beveled space with thickened epoxy for joint strength and for a smooth finished surface.

6. Coated the filler pieces on all sides and edges and in the biscuit slots, with unthickened epoxy. Coated the edges of B4 and the biscuit slots in B4 with unthickened epoxy. Then I thickened the epoxy with silica and liberally applied it to the biscuits and joints.
IMG_0279.JPG
7. Pressed the filler pieces into position and they compressed and stuck in place perfectly, whew. The biscuits held them in place, as did the tight fit. The biscuits also did a nice job of aligning the filler pieces in the same plane as the existing B4.
IMG_0280.JPG
.....and that's all for now folks. This took about 1 1/2 hours. I will let this cure, and will not be able to work on the boat for the next couple days anyway. Next I will sand, and fair the joints, then prime and paint. I'll post pictures in a week or so when I am back on it.

There are probably many ways to go at this. I thought about fiberglassing the front and back faces of B4 after adding the filler pieces, but decided against it. I am going to go with this method and see how she works.

Happy Sailing,

-Jason
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-Jason

Builder of SCAMP#349 "Argo": Build log at http://www.argobuilder.com
Caretaker of these fine ships:
-SCAMP "Argo"
-1981 Compac 16 Pilothouse "Lillyanna"
-Old Towne 16' Canoe
jhippe
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by jhippe »

Very nice work Jason. I think you did a great job fairing the curve between the filler piece and the original bulkhead. I appreciate the detail of your post showing each step of the process.
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by Brent65 »

Excellent job Jason - looking great!
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Rob Hazard
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by Rob Hazard »

Thanks, Jason, you've given me some food for thought. Ever since I saw photos of Howard's setup on Southern Cross I've been pondering the benefits of filling in those areas of B4. I'll start playing with some scraps as soon as I get back south and haul Puffin out of the barn.
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by pocketyacht »

Hey Rob
As a note to help you. Filling in the bulkheads is very easy and can be done easily and effectively. Raw wood to wood contact bonded with epoxy and cabosil is more than adequate in terms of strength.

Here is how I filled in the bulkheads on my boat and how I do it now on other boats I help folks build.

1. First I lay up a piece of ply on each side of the boat to cover the areas to be filled in.
2. I trace and cut these two pieces out.
3. Then I use an 1/8" round over bit in my trim router to round over both the inside and outside of the existing bulkhead and the matching edges of the pieces I am adding. This rounding over of the edges makes a v shaped trough (for lack of a better term) along the edges to be glued.
4. I glue in the pieces and carefully clean up leveling the glue in the troughs. After the glue hardens I sand the faces of eack bulkead glue area flat and fill any indentation with fillet mix and sand to make the glue joint disappear completely.
5. Paint.
Hope this helps you. This modification is really easy.
Rob Hazard wrote:Thanks, Jason, you've given me some food for thought. Ever since I saw photos of Howard's setup on Southern Cross I've been pondering the benefits of filling in those areas of B4. I'll start playing with some scraps as soon as I get back south and haul Puffin out of the barn.
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by Rob Hazard »

Sounds like a pretty simple mod, Howard. Thanks! I had been thinking of a much more tedious way of doing the same job! ;^)
Has the modified bulkhead been tested in a capsize? Does it keep the cuddy free of water in a knockdown?
I looked at one of the capsize videos on youtube and did a rough measurement. It looks to me that with the masthead supporting it the hull is resting about 95 degrees from level. Is that the reason Jason has narrowed the opening slightly at the top, to accommodate that extra 5 degrees? My first impulse would be to simply extend the line of the bench straight up and keep the opening parallel.
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by pocketyacht »

Hey Rob and long time no see. Hope you are well and happy!
The bulkhead keeps much more water out of an unloaded or moderately boat than would normally enter, not all but significantly more.

Not sure why Jason narrowed the opening at the top except perhaps for his personal take on asthetics. I went for straight up and done, works just as I had hoped and performs the following functions:
1. Decreases the amount of water that floods fwd during a capsize.
2. Provides a great spot for a compass, knife w lanyard in a scabbard,, jackets hanging inside, gear or lines can be hung on the inside, etc.
3. Provides a nice opening for a cloth roll down door, a cloth door offers many advantages.

Hope this helps.

Rob Hazard wrote:Sounds like a pretty simple mod, Howard. Thanks! I had been thinking of a much more tedious way of doing the same job! ;^)
Has the modified bulkhead been tested in a capsize? Does it keep the cuddy free of water in a knockdown?
I looked at one of the capsize videos on youtube and did a rough measurement. It looks to me that with the masthead supporting it the hull is resting about 95 degrees from level. Is that the reason Jason has narrowed the opening slightly at the top, to accommodate that extra 5 degrees? My first impulse would be to simply extend the line of the bench straight up and keep the opening parallel.
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Jason Builder
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by Jason Builder »

Merhaba arkadaşlar,

The bevels that I sanded into the existing B4 piece and the filler pieces worked as a nice bed for the epoxy, like beveled edges of steel to be butt welded together, and the biscuits gave an extra bit of strength and alignment during glue up. The microballoon-thickened-epoxy worked great as a fairing compound over the joint surface. The joint cannot be seen any longer.

Here is a photo of the new B4 after one coat of EZprime. The new narrower opening is practical for the reasons noted above, and the large radius at the top is aesthetic, according to my whim, and I think it might provide me a nice little bit more shade at times. We'll see....
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-Jason

Builder of SCAMP#349 "Argo": Build log at http://www.argobuilder.com
Caretaker of these fine ships:
-SCAMP "Argo"
-1981 Compac 16 Pilothouse "Lillyanna"
-Old Towne 16' Canoe
ericleif
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Re: Upgrading SCAMP MKI Bulkhead 4 to MKII design

Post by ericleif »

That looks awesome Jason!
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