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.
Have a question you want answered by our expert brokers? Drop an email to in**@**************ny.com today!
Dear Cynthia and Andrew,
I wanted to extend my sincere thanks to both of you and The Multihull Company team for the outstanding job you did in successfully closing the sale of our Excess 14. Despite the challenging environment — including new import tariffs and unique buyer requirements — you navigated everything with professionalism, perseverance, and efficiency.
The transaction was completed smoothly and in good time, which is a true credit to your dedication and expertise. Very well done.
Thank you again, and I wish you all the very best.
Warm regards,
Jurgen
We had an outstanding experience working with Andrew Hodgdon. From the very beginning, he demonstrated deep knowledge of the catamaran we were considering and took the time to understand exactly what we were looking for. He found us the perfect vessel that matched our needs and budget and negotiated a fantastic deal on our behalf.
What truly set him apart was he responsiveness—every question we had was answered promptly and thoroughly, and he guided us through the entire process with professionalism and care. We couldn’t be happier with the service and highly recommend him to anyone looking for a knowledgeable and dedicated yacht broker.
Awesome company that worked as my brokerage on purchasing out FP catamaran. A special shoutout to Will Miller for walking us through the process
The process of selling our boat was made very smooth by the Multihull Company and Andrew Hodgdon in particular. Andrew helped us navigate the selling process including moving our boat from Grenada to Florida to execute the sale. We would recommend working with this company, and Andrew Hodgdon in particular, without hesitation.
Very smooth process. Chuck was great and very knowledgeable about the whole process. Im happy to have had TMC to take care of all the things i didnt know about.
Andy
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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