Builders' Forum

The reason for this post is two-fold:  1) Prove I'm not crazy by confirming that either the directions are wrong or they shipped me the wrong deck part and 2) get recommendations for where to place the back of the cockpit opening given what I have.

The Chesapeake 17LT's instruction book drawings/tables say to locate the bulkheads at 61-3/8" and 121" from the bow.  I was following the text of the chapter which said that the rear bulkhead for a 17 is at 124".  I didn't check the back of the book and thought that a 17 is a 17.  I didn't think that the LT would be physically different in axial dimensions.  Anywho, my bulkheads are somewhat off (see photo).

As I'm figuring out how to deal with this error before putting the deck on, I realized something.  IF I had put the rear bulkhead at 121" from the bow and if I followed the directions which say to have the rear deck panel overhang the bulkhead by 1", then my rear panel would be starting at 120" (measured at the centerline at the back of the cockpit cutout on that panel).  Since the boat is 202.75" long, I'd need 82.75" of wood panel to cover the back of the boat.  But I measured the deck panel I was sent and it is only 82" at this dimention!!  So either I was sent a non-LT deck panel or I shouldn't put the bulkhead at 121!