Many thanks for the information. I'll try to document this task with a camera, 
it may prove helpful to someone else in the future.  
Won't be able to attempt this fix for a few weeks but will definetly repost 
when I tackle it.
I was surprised when the tech told me that the interior was installed after the 
mating of the deck to the hull. I assumed the interior was fabricated and 
installed prior to the deck being mated. 
Didn't think there was any way to get that out without destroying it in the 
process.  
2 to 3" sounds like a lot. Did the deck experience any damage from the jacking? 
Did you seal the edges of the new panel before installing it?

Steve

--- In [email protected], jwambo8...@... wrote:
>
> I remember being surprised when I received a call back from Catalina. The  
> day before I left a message stating that I was looking for information on 
> how to  remove the bulkhead. I was told that someone would call me back. The 
> very next  day I received a phone call from Gerry Douglas, vice president and 
> head engineer  of Catalina. He was very nice and answered every question I 
> had.
>  
> You have to raise the ceiling more than you would think. If I remember  
> right it was around 2-3 inches.  The compression post needs to clear the  
> recesses on the ceiling. Once it was clear, I tilted the top of the post out 
> and  
> lifted the bottom out. Neither the compression post nor the bulkhead was  
> fastened to anything else or each other. Everything just fit tightly  
> together. 
> When removing the compression post, the small panel next to the head door  
> also just slips in and out. Sort of like fitting a puzzle together. You just 
>  sort of have to figure the best way as you go along.
> At the time, the only teak plywood that I could get was imported from  
> Greece and was metric. It seemed bigger that 1/2 inch but smaller than  3/4.
>  
> Looking back, I'm still am amazed at the procedure and how much the boat  
> actually flexed. I can't emphasize enough about the care you must take around 
>  the jack and the 2X4's. While under that much pressure, resting on a 
> curved  floor, propped on  a slippery top, when they slipped, they flew. Be 
> careful  and take your time. The foam rubber in between sounds like a good 
> idea.
>  
> Good Luck.
>  
> John Wamboldt 
> C27 #6287
> ZuZu's Petals
> Lake Michigan
>  
>  
>  
> In a message dated 5/19/2010 9:11:54 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
> scant...@... writes:
> 
>  
>  
>  
> John,
> 
> Funny, I talked to Catalina today and the tech I spoke to  didn't have a 
> clue. His suggestion was to pose the question on this forum.  
> How much room did it require to slip the compression post out. Are we  
> talking an inch, 1/2" or less. It's hard to tell how much the recess is in 
> the  
> top and bottom pockets. 
> Did you lift up and out or simply pull it out once  the cabin ceiling was 
> clear?
> I mentioned the bungs on the table side of the  compression post. Are there 
> screws anchoring the bulkhead inside the channel  of the compression post?
> Does the small panel attached 90 degrees to the  comp. post get removed 
> separately. Talking about the side the head door closes  to.
> 
> 1/2" plywood is the correct thickness?
> 
> Thank you for the  information.
> 
> Steve
> 
> --- In [email protected]_ (mailto:[email protected]) ,  
> JWambo8566@ wrote:
> >
> > I did this job about 10 years ago on my  1986 C27. I spoke to Catalina 
> how 
> > to remove the bulkhead and followed  their directions even though it 
> sounded 
> > crazy, and dangerous.
> >  
> > The mast must be down. 
> > Remove everything that attaches to  both sides of the bulkhead. Table, 
> > shroud plates, medicine cabinet;  everything. Then comes the scary part. 
> Using a 
> > 2X4 placed on top of a  small hydraulic jack, placed near the compression 
> > post, slowly jack  up the cabin top, I placed a small piece of wood under 
> > the jack to  spread out the load on he floor. When jacking, be very 
> careful 
> >  because the 2X4 or the jack can slip very easily and it fly's out with a 
> lot  
> > of force. Trust me, it happened a couple of times until I got it  
> positioned 
> > just right. While jacking, the boat creeks and groans  something fierce. 
> > Keep jacking until the fiberglass around the  compression post is just 
> high 
> > enough to tilt the top of the  compression post out. Once the post is 
> out, you 
> > can then slide the  entire bulkhead out. Again, use a lot of care not to 
> jar 
> > the 2X4  while removing the bulkhead. Once the bulkhead is out, you can 
> let 
> >  the jack down until the new bulkhead is ready to be put back in place.  
> > I took a piece of marine grade teak plywood and the old bulkhead to  the 
> > cabinet maker that made my kitchen cabinets. He was able to cut  the new 
> > bulkhead using the old one as a template. He also was able to  match and 
> apply the 
> > laminate to the head side of the bulkhead. He  matched it perfectly. He 
> > told me that the bulkhead has seven  different compound miter cuts. That 
> alone 
> > made it worthwhile having  him fabricate it. Very minor sanding made it 
> fit 
> > perfectly. You just  jack up the cabin top and install everything in 
> > reverse. By the way,  I used Cetol on the cabin side of the bulkhead and 
> it matched 
> > almost  perfectly to the rest of the factory stained wood. Also, it's a 
> > good  time to run any new wires you need up the compression post and out 
> the  
> > top.
> > 
> > I know this whole thing sounds crazy, but trust  me, it just took a lot 
> of 
> > guts, planning and care. I gave you the  real quick explanation, let me 
> know 
> > if you need any more detail.  
> > 
> > 
> > John Wamboldt
> > C27 #6287
> > ZuZu's  Petals
> > Lake Michigan
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > In a  message dated 5/19/2010 4:10:04 P.M. Central Daylight Time, 
> >  scantino@ writes:
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > I've search  archives for information related to replacing the starboard 
> > bulkhead  on a mid eighties catalina 27. 
> > I have an 87' that needs a new  bulkhead. 
> > Has anyone documented their effort to replace a late model  27's 
> starboard 
> > bulkhead? 
> > I don't want to quess and start  removing parts randomly. 
> > It appears that a least a portion of the  compression post might have to 
> be 
> > removed in order to slide the  bulkhead out. 
> > The post looks to be four pieces of solid wood  lamenated together. There 
> > are four bungs visible on the side of the  post next to the drop down 
> table. 
> > I'm assuming these hide the screws  that anchor the bulkhead to the post. 
> > Can the post be removed to  allow access to the bulkhead? Looking for 
> some 
> > help!
> > 
> >  Steve
> >
>


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