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Bulkhead


Skyski1986

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Anyone ever break an iride bulkhead? Curious if that's why my windshield isn't lined up perfect anymore, i would think the hull is strong seeing it came with ballast, I think boat is an 05

Edited by Skyski1986
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It's in storage, I was just talking to someone who has a broken bulkhead and realized my window doesn't shut perfect either, made me wonder if mine is messed up

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2 hours ago, Skyski1986 said:

It's in storage, I was just talking to someone who has a broken bulkhead and realized my window doesn't shut perfect either, made me wonder if mine is messed up

what is a broken bulkhead in a boat?

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If you are referring to the gap between the walk thru window and the contact faces to both the observer and drivers side glass. I don’t think I have ever seen a Mercedes quality gap alignment on any boat I have ever been in Malibu or not. The build process has a lot to do with it. My 2010 had about a 1/4” variance as does my 2019. IMO, this is one of those things that would either fall into the annoying to look at but still functions as intended category. Or you are having serious structural issue where the “limited lifetime warranty for the hull” may apply. The is really nothing you can do about the former and the later would require the dealer to handle.JM2C 

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A Mercedes doesn't get pounded over waves every day.  Heck, just trailering your boat is a lot worse than anything a Mercedes ever sees.

You can loosen and realign your windshield, then tighten it back up.

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2 hours ago, granddaddy55 said:

what is a broken bulkhead in a boat?

This will give you an idea.  Although I do not think there is a specific bulkhead in a Malibu.  https://www.epoxyworks.com/index.php/replacing-damaged-bulkheads/  I do know that the walk-thru open bows essentially have it; the step-overs, like some MC have a true bulkhead.  Others, like the open bow MB Sport boats used a U-shaped steel member to prevent hull flexing.

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Neither of my LSVs have had the ability to have the windshields adjusted. Just removed and replaced in the already drilled holes. If there is a way to do it I have never heard or seen a way to adjust that part of it. There might be enough slop in the hinge holes to close it up a little. There is a “U” shaped metal frame glassed into the walk through that provides lateral support to both sides of that part of walk through. Not really anything that can be adjusted unless you remove, realign the windshield and re-drill new holes. How well the windows initially align depends mostly on how the assembly was originally installed I imagine. And how long it stays that way depends how rough a life it sees.

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6 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

This will give you an idea.  Although I do not think there is a specific bulkhead in a Malibu.  https://www.epoxyworks.com/index.php/replacing-damaged-bulkheads/  I do know that the walk-thru open bows essentially have it; the step-overs, like some MC have a true bulkhead.  Others, like the open bow MB Sport boats used a U-shaped steel member to prevent hull flexing.

doubt my sort of walk through windshield has one as my overfilling by accident mushroom bag will literally spread the two sides apart causing a gap at windshield to appear 

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10 hours ago, justgary said:

A Mercedes doesn't get pounded over waves every day.  Heck, just trailering your boat is a lot worse than anything a Mercedes ever sees.

You can loosen and realign your windshield, then tighten it back up.

Not according to my dealer. I have tried several times to get mine adjusted to no avail! My gap runs tight at bottom and barely hits the resting ledge at the top. The towel shows the gap discrepancy on mine.image.thumb.png.3d85000c632faeac8adfc7abc766840e.png

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Either one or both fixed windows to the port and/or starboard were installed too wide or the hull is stretching much too far for normal or the hull was built too wide (in descending order of likelihood). I bet that if you look at the contour of the deck where the windows are bolted too, you will see that the seam will close if one or both of the windows are moved towards the center of the boat. Probably such a small amount that it is not fixable or they would have at the factory. Hence the question... was it built this way or did it morph? I would argue for the lifetime hull warranty that someone brought up.

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13 hours ago, dalt1 said:

Not according to my dealer. I have tried several times to get mine adjusted to no avail! My gap runs tight at bottom and barely hits the resting ledge at the top. The towel shows the gap discrepancy on mine.image.thumb.png.3d85000c632faeac8adfc7abc766840e.png

Would you please show a few more photos of your windshield, preferably showing the whole thing, and from different angles?

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10 hours ago, justgary said:

Would you please show a few more photos of your windshield, preferably showing the whole thing, and from different angles?

Like what pics do you want? All are going to show the same misalignment. Be glad to get more pics if you want to elaborate on exactly what.

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On 1/13/2021 at 7:12 PM, dalt1 said:

Mine has been this way since delivery, now at 300 hrs. Not moving but can't get dealer to adjust it.

I'm curious how you expect them to adjust it?  The frame is a solid piece of aluminum bolted to the fiberglass.

Are you wanting them to shim the center window on the top of the hinge side or re-drill new holes a re-mount the entire side of the windshield? 

 

For me I don't want to tight of a fit of the walk through windshield. These hulls will flex depending on the waves. Not sure about others, but I don't want to chance busting out my glass just so I can have a "Mercedes" type gap. 

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12 hours ago, cowwboy said:

I'm curious how you expect them to adjust it?  The frame is a solid piece of aluminum bolted to the fiberglass.

Are you wanting them to shim the center window on the top of the hinge side or re-drill new holes a re-mount the entire side of the windshield? 

 

For me I don't want to tight of a fit of the walk through windshield. These hulls will flex depending on the waves. Not sure about others, but I don't want to chance busting out my glass just so I can have a "Mercedes" type gap. 

Mercedes Gap, HA HA. I'd settle for a Malibu quality gap, have not seen others on show room floor this bad. And yes I do expect better quality than you apparently.

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7 hours ago, justgary said:

@dalt1 it looks like a tilt error that might be corrected by changing the angle of the windshield, not by sliding it around.

Yes looks like if they would try pulling the top down/in it would close it up. Will talk to them again next week when I drop it off for some other less than Mercedes quality issues!

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2 minutes ago, dalt1 said:

Yes looks like if they would try pulling the top down/in it would close it up. Will talk to them again next week when I drop it off for some other less than Mercedes quality issues!

If you would, ask Steve if he has heard anything on when the replacement Globe impellers are going to be in. Thanks

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Does it have those support brackets on either side of the walk thru?    Those have a bit of adjustment available.    One of mine became loose so I removed the walk thru panel and attached it in a slightly different spot. 

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On 1/15/2021 at 8:18 PM, dalt1 said:

Mercedes Gap, HA HA. I'd settle for a Malibu quality gap, have not seen others on show room floor this bad. And yes I do expect better quality than you apparently.

I never said not to expect high quality. Especially at the outlandish prices they charge. But with how the windshield is made how can they adjust it?

Given your pic didn't show much besides a towel between the walk through and windshield. So it's hard to tell where exactly the issue is. Have you taken a level to the windshields to make sure they line up? 

 

To me it sounds like something wasn't manufactured or installed correctly for them to not fit correctly.  Maybe they didn't manufacture the center window correct. Maybe they bolted one or both sides further out on the hull. Maybe the hull in the center has flexed outward from desired.

These aren't cars that it's easy to adjust body lines \ gaps on. 

 

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