RE: Cutting hole in bulkhead.

Eric Johnson (ej@tx3.com)
Fri, 13 Nov 1998 09:01:30 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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> I'm installing our new Saturn bulkhead compass in our P-19 soon
> and I'd like
> some advice. I'm pretty sure the vertical panel of the bulkhead is solid
> laminate, so I don't think I'll have to seal any balsam with epoxy.

I have the same compass in #461. There is no coreing in my bulkhead.

>I'm
> planning to use 3M 101 polysulfide caulking; I'll tighten it
> lightly and allow
> it to cure for a while and then tighten it down.
>
> Q1: It can be mounted in a bulkhead with up to 25 degrees
> inclination. If I
> have to make a shim, what's the easiest way? I didn't actually
> measure the
> inclination yet, I just eyeballed it the last time I was on the
> boat and it
> looked like 25-30 degrees. I had a hard time finding an
> affordable compass
> that permitted that much inclination.

I didn't shim, and everything works fine for me. Your mileage may vary.

> Q2: What's the best way and tools to use to cut the 4" hole?

I used a compass to mark it and a drill and jigsaw to do the deed. The
flange is big enough on the Saturn to cover up any reasonible deviances from
a true circle.

> Alternatively,
> has anybody tried mounting it in a box of some sort to avoid
> cutting a hole in
> the bulkhead?

naw, cut the hole! :)

I wired my compass backlight into the nav lights circuit, and it works well.