Story by Andrew Holland / August 10, 2018
One potential issue that may arise in a survey is called a cracked bulkhead. When this happens there is some confusion as to what this means for buyers and sellers alike, so our clients often ask this featured “Question of the Week.”
A bulkhead is a layer inserted into the hulls of a catamaran in order to prevent the hulls from cracking or compressing and are added after the hulls are molded to increase stability. Regardless of the material or build quality, all hulls are subjected to the forces of water working against them.
Waves and water under sail apply pressure to the hulls that may eventually cause cracking and require a bulkhead to be repaired so if the topic arises in survey, pay attention to the details a surveyor has to say. This is often a costly repair job because the veneer of the hulls must be removed, the bulkheads need to be re-laminated, and sometimes the ends of the hulls have to be re-banded.
However, a cracked bulkhead does not mean that the boat’s condition is too disastrous to sail or defines the boat as having a structural problem. It only means that over time this particular bulkhead has been under enough stress to be in need of repair, and that is cause for a conversation post-survey.
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I chose Zee (Zvonimir Kalinic) after posting an ad for a broker on Yacht Sales from about 15 other brokers because he showed professionalism and care right away compared to the others. Most of the brokers never intended to show people my boat but yet somehow expected to collect commission. Zee met me in Novigrad and spent 3 hours taking photos and drone footage and throughout the listing period was communicating continuously and advising me about any offers that came through. His service was at a high standard that I was extremely happy with and felt comfortable at all times especially since I’m in Sydney and my boat is in Montenegro. I can’t recommend Zee highly enough to anyone looking to sell their boat with peace of mind.
The brokerage team has been amazing. They helped me find the right catamaran for our family of four, with enough space for extended family and friends to stay with us anytime. The broker really helped me narrow down what I needed. I started with a long list and eventually narrowed it down to something that was the right fit and price for me.
I cannot speak too highly of Andrew Hodgdon and his colleagues at the Multihull Company.
The process of selling my boat was very smooth and well managed and with excellent communication – especially important as I was unable to be nearby during the sale process. Andrew’s deep knowledge of the market and my boat was very reassuring. We spoke regularly and he kept me closely advised all the way through to a happy sale. I found him a good guy, very helpful, willing to share and bounce ideas around, and I enjoyed working with him. Highly recommended!
Andrew Hodgdon and The Multihull Company are really professional! I just closed a deal with them, and everything was pretty smooth. Andrew was punctual, showed a lot of expertise, and he was honest about all the problems with the boat. He is also giving me the support I need to run all the projects on this boat. This whole process was much better than I was expecting, and I recommend this team! Thank you, Andrew.
Successful relationships cannot exist without it. At The Multihull Company we base every relationship on a firm commitment to earning and retaining our client’s trust.
Advice of any kind is valuable only when grounded in hard-won expertise. It too, must be trustworthy. Trust and expertise define the heart and soul of The Multihull Company. We are a team of skilled professionals who thrive on providing expert, trustworthy advice and service to catamaran and trimaran sailors around the globe.
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