Glastron V-147 Transom

[aborgman]

I'm trying to figure out if my transom is original, as I'll possibly be replacing it soon.

Boat is a 1969/1970 Glastron V-147 "Fish 'N Ski"

B is dimensional lumber (2x6, or 2x8) which doesn't appear to be glassed in at all, only attached with the hooks (A) to the outer hull.

C is plywood (looks like 1/2", but not sure) that appears to be glassed to the outer hull but is bare plywood on the inside.

Is this the original transom, or some sort of hack job?

--
Aaron

 

[redfury]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

Boy, can't be sure. You'd know if it were a hack job based on the quality of the fiberglassing that was done. If you are going to rebuild it, you can always re-engineer it to your liking.

 

[ArnieTX]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

I'm working on your pictures....haven't had a chance to get out there. Hang tight.

Joe

 

[aborgman]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

An actual picture:

So there is glass around the bottom side of the piece of dimensional lumber and the plywood. There are two separate pieces, but it looks as though the plywood possibly runs through a notch in the dimensional.

The plywood (where it is accessible) seems to be in good shape. I can't tell on the dimensional other than where the bilge pump outlet hole is cut - and it's not good there.

Looks like I'm going to have to pull the cap off the boat and see what it looks like underneath. I may just pull the wood and glass enough to enclose the space and go with seacast...

I guess I'll have a better idea when I actually get into it...

--
Aaron

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

I had that same model. Stuff has been added. Those transoms were pretty crappy, overall. Check it carefully. I'll bet it's rotten, and that stuff has been added to try to stiffen it back up.

As an experiment, try tightening the nuts on the transom rings. On mine, when I did that, the nuts and washers started sinking into the rotten plywood in the transom.

They're nice riding boats...plane super easy. Probably worth rebuilding the transom, but...before you do that, check for watersoaked foam under the deck. I found that, too, and ended up junking the boat.

 

[aborgman]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

I had that same model. Stuff has been added. Those transoms were pretty crappy, overall. Check it carefully. I'll bet it's rotten, and that stuff has been added to try to stiffen it back up.

Are you sure? After going over the transom, It looks like that is the original.

As an experiment, try tightening the nuts on the transom rings. On mine, when I did that, the nuts and washers started sinking into the rotten plywood in the transom.

Like I said - on mine the transom rings are through a piece of dimensional (either 2x6 or 2x8)

The red area is the plywood, and the yellow line is the bottom edge of the dimensional that goes all the way across the hull. The plywood section (as you can see) is only as wide as the splash well.

They're nice riding boats...plane super easy. Probably worth rebuilding the transom, but...before you do that, check for watersoaked foam under the deck. I found that, too, and ended up junking the boat.

I already know it needs a deck, not sure about the stringers until I open her up.

--
Aaron

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

Nope. That's not stock. That board running into the bilge isn't standard. The bilge is open, stock, and you can see the drain plug hole at the bottom of it. In fact, I always put the plug in from the inside there. There's another hole that drains the rest of the boat into the bilge. The splashboard is also an modification. The original was fully glassed-in. On mine, the entire transom was glass over plywood, and I know mine was original. Someone had ginned up a steel plate that reinforced the top of the rotten transom on it, but it didn't extend down as far as the stern loops.

As I said, the design was crappy. That drain at the front of the bilge was too small, so it got plugged easily, and that let the water accumulate under the deck and soak the foam.

The transom rotted because it was just glass over plywood, and someone always fails to seal things properly. Too bad, because I really like the boat as a fishing platform. I cut it up with a chainsaw and loaded it into a dumpster, I'm afraid. Sad business.

You can see the original brochure photo for the V-147 at the link below:

http://www.classicglastron.com/69gl-v143-147.html

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

Here's a stern view of my V-147. Notice the steel brace at the top of the transom and the larger splash tray:

 

[aborgman]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

Nope. That's not stock. That board running into the bilge isn't standard. The bilge is open, stock, and you can see the drain plug hole at the bottom of it.

My bilge IS open, if I had taken the picture from a steeper angle you'd be able to see the bottom of the well and drain plug hole at the bottom - through that plywood transom piece.

In fact, I always put the plug in from the inside there. There's another hole that drains the rest of the boat into the bilge. The splashboard is also an modification. The original was fully glassed-in. On mine, the entire transom was glass over plywood, and I know mine was original. Someone had ginned up a steel plate that reinforced the top of the rotten transom on it, but it didn't extend down as far as the stern loops.

So it should be a full width/height plywood transom?

Everywhere blue below should be part of the glassed in plywood, correct?

As I said, the design was crappy. That drain at the front of the bilge was too small, so it got plugged easily, and that let the water accumulate under the deck and soak the foam.

Yeah, I'm thinking about going with a removable deck instead of glass over plywood glassed in place. Removable deck, and removable foam. Should allow the underfloor area to dry a lot better and avoid the rot.

The transom rotted because it was just glass over plywood, and someone always fails to seal things properly. Too bad, because I really like the boat as a fishing platform. I cut it up with a chainsaw and loaded it into a dumpster, I'm afraid. Sad business.

Apparently that age Glastrons had a lot of poor glasswork over the wood. I've even heard (haven't confirmed yet) that they only glassed the top side of the deck. Not exactly a big surprise the floor would rot out...

You can see the original brochure photo for the V-147 at the link below:

http://www.classicglastron.com/69gl-v143-147.html

I've seen those... too bad it isn't very informative. I'd really like to see a whole bunch of pictures of one in original condition.

--
Aaron

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

Yes, the transom was one piece, glass over plywood. The splash well board was also smoothly glassed into the transom, top and bottom, and to the cap. It was an important structural element. There was a plywood board inside the transom, but it was glassed, too, and ended at the deck. It looks to me like someone tried to extend it on yours and angle it out from the transom as some sort of brace.

On mine, the guy built a steel brace at the top of the transom, which also extended to the inside and then over the cap. It was strong enough to handle the outboard without flexing, but still a kludge.

If I had rebuilt the transom, I believe I would have built a couple of wedge-shaped braces on the inside of the transom, on the sides of the bilge opening and glassed to the bottom of the hull, probably also glassed to stringers. Looking at the design, once I decided to trash the boat, I could see that it wasn't really all that strong. Once the rot got into the transom, the boat wasn't really safe.

It's a cheap, entry-level fishing boat, really. Still, it was a handy boat for its size, and I did enjoy fishing from it. I sold that old Johnson 35hp to a guy for way more than it was worth, and just couldn't justify putting any more into the boat.

I think it will make an interesting project, though. The cap should come off pretty easily and the transom is simple. I don't think there are a lot of stringers in that hull. It would be a good boat to learn on.

 

[aborgman]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

Yes, the transom was one piece, glass over plywood. The splash well board was also smoothly glassed into the transom, top and bottom, and to the cap. It was an important structural element. There was a plywood board inside the transom, but it was glassed, too, and ended at the deck. It looks to me like someone tried to extend it on yours and angle it out from the transom as some sort of brace.

A couple more pictures with the cap removed:

I don't see how this thing ever had a full plywood transom - the foam filled box sections at each corner have plywood going all the way back to the outer skin of the transom, no way to squeeze transom thickness plywood between them and the outer skin.

I think it will make an interesting project, though. The cap should come off pretty easily and the transom is simple. I don't think there are a lot of stringers in that hull. It would be a good boat to learn on.

I got the cap off in about an hour - by myself... not too bad at all.

--
Aaron

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

Wow! Maybe I'm misremembering on mine. I haven't had it for years now, so I could have a faulty memory of the exact layout in back.

I do believe I'd do a little redesign on that and use plywood on the whole transom, adding a layer of glass on the inside to enclose it and bond it to the sides. That should be pretty easy to do, I think, and it'd be a heckuva lot stronger.

And that boat is rated for 50hp, too. Too much! But, now that you have it opened up, I think it looks pretty easy to beef up a bit.

 

[aborgman]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

Wow! Maybe I'm misremembering on mine. I haven't had it for years now, so I could have a faulty memory of the exact layout in back.

I do believe I'd do a little redesign on that and use plywood on the whole transom, adding a layer of glass on the inside to enclose it and bond it to the sides. That should be pretty easy to do, I think, and it'd be a heckuva lot stronger.

That is what I'm thinking - not any harder to do, but a LOT stronger.

And that boat is rated for 50hp, too. Too much! But, now that you have it opened up, I think it looks pretty easy to beef up a bit.

Yep... and this one came with a 50 (66 Merc 500)...

--
Aaron

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

I'll bet the Glastron folks never imagined that any of these little Fish'n'Ski boats would still be in use almost 40 years later. The design was probably fine when everything was still new and solid. As time goes on, though, that is no longer the case.

It actually looks like a fairly easy job to beef up, since you're not dealing with the transom wood between two layers of glass. When you're done, though, it will be, I bet!

 

[aborgman]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

I'll bet the Glastron folks never imagined that any of these little Fish'n'Ski boats would still be in use almost 40 years later. The design was probably fine when everything was still new and solid. As time goes on, though, that is no longer the case.

I'm sure... and you can tell from the construction it wasn't exactly fine detailed work.

It actually looks like a fairly easy job to beef up, since you're not dealing with the transom wood between two layers of glass. When you're done, though, it will be, I bet!

I think it might be quite a monster when I get done with it...

I got the majority of the floor ripped out today - I'm pleasantly surprised so far. The foam doesn't look to saturated, and the stringers feel solid at a glance. Some dumb things in the design though - only the center section drains to the well - the two outside sections need a drainage hole through the stringer.

--
Aaron

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

So, when you get this done, are you going to paint it, or leave it the original "garbage can green?"

 

[aborgman]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

So, when you get this done, are you going to paint it, or leave it the original "garbage can green?"

I think this year I'm going to not really do any cosmetic repairs, just try to get it functional and on the water. In the long run, I might just paint it - although the beautiful 1960/70s avocado green is pretty sweet.

--
Aaron

 

[MrPhotographer06]

Re: Glastron V-147 Transom

haha guys..that transom is original.. or someone came to my house and added the same wood to mine..

i'm hitting the water tuesday with mine =D