Bayliner 45 collision bulkhead

[Cbrooks07]

Hi friends, is anyone here familiar with whether or not the late 80s Bayliner 45 pilot house (4550/4588) is equipped with a forward collision bulkhead? I’m interested in a trawler with this safety feature. I gather SOLAS recommends a forward collision bulkhead between 5%-15% of the lwl aft of forward perpendicular.

Do any production vessels (Bayliner, carver etc) carry this feature?

Thank you

 

[Comodave]

No they don’t. Not many do.

 

[dhays]

Off hand, I can’t think of any boats that I’m familiar with that have it. I’m sure there are some though. I’d bet you won’t find them on planing hull boats like the Bayliner. Maybe look at some of the FD bluewater trawlers?

 

[sdowney717]

At what level is the forward cabin floor compared with the waterline?
If only a few inches above or below the waterline, not easy to seal the entire area forward of such bulkhead, the boat will also lose buoyancy and go down further into the water if holed.

I suppose you could raise the bulkhead above the floor, but that makes an inconvenient and tripping area having that partition extend up high.
My area there is about an inch above the water line.

I sort of think better to reinforce the hull with layers of kevlar woven roving epoxied on.
Example

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...uJcGti89y2Zfej0Zl6l38cRDJShM7QtBoCtnUQAvD_BwE

 

[Shrew]

SOLAS primarily pertains to commercial offshore vessels. You will be neither of those things. Bermuda is offshore. The Bahamas are not IMHO.

 

[menzies]

SOLAS primarily pertains to commercial offshore vessels. You will be neither of those things. Bermuda is offshore. The Bahamas are not IMHO.

Really? Why do you believe the Bahamas to not be off shore?

 

[Maerin]

Off hand, I can’t think of any boats that I’m familiar with that have it. I’m sure there are some though. I’d bet you won’t find them on planing hull boats like the Bayliner. Maybe look at some of the FD bluewater trawlers?

Our Solo and all Selene's AFAIK are built with a collision bulkhead/ crash locker in the bow.

 

[Group9]

SOLAS primarily pertains to commercial offshore vessels. You will be neither of those things. Bermuda is offshore. The Bahamas are not IMHO.

I think some of the crews of the cargo ships that have sunk in storms in the Bahamas might disagree with you.

There are plenty of routes and trips you can take in the Bahamas that are “offshore” in my book. It’s not all ten to fifteen feet deep, you know.

 

[Shrew]

I would consider Bahamas nearshore. You can take a center console there.

 

[Group9]

I would consider Bahamas nearshore. You can take a center console there.

The Bahamas are bigger in area than the entire Caribbean. Take it where?

 

[ksanders]

The Bayliner 45/47 is built with a large anchor locker in the bow, which is sealed off from the interior below the normal water line.

I do not know if that qualifies, as above the waterline there is a non watertight opening designed to access the anchor locker area.

Aft of that there is another bulkhead, this one being watertight at the forward engine room. This is approximately midship. This bulkhead separates the vessel into two separate water infiltration zones.

 

[Shrew]

The Bahamas are bigger in area than the entire Caribbean. Take it where?

Sure, we can play that game and slice and dice it any you want. Bimini is 50 miles from Miami. I'll concede. It's offshore if that makes you feel better. I don't honestly care.

Personally, knowing and hanging around with a few merchant mariners with masters certs who work offshore and cross oceans, I'd be embarrassed to call that (or anywhere I navigate) offshore in their company.

 

[Group9]

Sure, we can play that game and slice and dice it any you want. Bimini is 50 miles from Miami. I'll concede. It's offshore if that makes you feel better. I don't honestly care.

Personally, knowing and hanging around with a few merchant mariners with masters certs who work offshore and cross oceans, I'd be embarrassed to call that (or anywhere I navigate) offshore in their company.

Why would you be embarrassed? Why would you think any professional mariners would really care what you call it or why?

 

[AusCan]

I'm surprised at the lack of sealed bulkheads in most boats.

Although my chain locker is fully sealed and is between 5 &15% of LWL, it doesn't go below the WL so it is only a safety feature for above water collisions. Below it is another slightly bigger sealed chamber filled with ground ballast material. On either side of the vessel at the widest part of the hull are integral fibreglass water tanks which also act as sealed chambers in the event of a collision.
Add in a full keel with a stainless shoe and protected prop, and the level of collision protection gives me some reassurance.