Re: Transom Trouble
Re: Transom Trouble
Here are some views of the transom terror ...
note:
- 3 section transom
- warped / bowed even without engine
- wood still looks good though it has to go
- transom support snapped on both sides
I've taken apart several later model Starcraft transoms which were built factory with three pieces, most were 1976 or later.
Those transoms when right will have no flex, my 1967 18' is still all original and rock solid. The broken transom support is a lot of your movement.
It looks to me like the former owner cut that transom to match the earlier model boats which had a much larger splashwell.
I've done several of those boats so far, most were older models.
I normally remove the motor and all transom mounted accessories, then unbolt the many splashwell screws, remove both upper caps and all top caps and remove the wood out the top. On some it comes right out, on a few I had to tweak the gunwale aluminum edge a bit to make clearance, I simply pushed it back down when reinstalling the caps later. I've yet to have one that I had cut anything to get it out whole. Even on those that were three piece when new, I replace it with a one piece transom.
I run the outer plywood grain horizontally, I've yet to find wood wide enough to be able to cut a one piece, full width 72" or better section with the grain vertical. So far every one I've done has come out rock solid. I do laminate a single layer of glass cloth in between the two sheets with lots of epoxy as my resin. I completely encase the new wood in epoxy. I drill all holes using the originals as my template and seal them before final installation. I also coat the inner transom metal with epoxy paint to prevent corrosion down the road as well. I've yet to find a broken support, but they are aluminum and fairly easy to weld.
