Help with Repairing a transom

[dbrannon79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

The information supplied in that link is poor at best.

Adding that amount of acetone to resin pretty much turns it to trash and then saying don't worry about the amount of catalyst you add because it makes no difference is complete ignorance of the chemistry.

As you add any type of solvent to resin it begins to degrade the physical properties, this means it becomes less water resistant and depending on the solvent, it may get softer or more brittle. The other problem with this ?secret mix? is since polyester resin doesn?t start off with a great deal of strength and by adding acetone you?re doing nothing to help this fact, it will be much more likely to crack as the wood expands and contracts or flexes. Very short term it may seem great ?I sprinkled water on it? long term you just wasted your time and money.

well, I guess I can scratch that, but the original problem was the rot in the floor started where the seats were attached to the floor. the floor has a coat of glass over the wood but the box the supported the seats was screwed the the floor and water penetrated into the floor through the screws. I want to prevent that from happening again.. I haven't got a floor plan as to how I'm going to mount the seats. any suggestions and even pics if how other 15' trihulls are setup would be great!

by the way, what is the actual name of the boat I have? I know it's a tri-hull made by White. when I got the boat there is no info plate on anywhere. all the info I have is from the title. there is what looks like an eagle with it's wings spread on both sides toward the rear of the boat and on one side you can see where there was a emblem that you can barely make out what looks like " Thunderora" in a cursive style signature. I've tried to google that name and haven't found anything. any ideas? If needed, I can post a pic of that.

 

[dbrannon79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

Well I couldn't wait! flash photography in the night works wonders!

here is two photo's of the side where the emblem was.

I think it shows "Thunderovra" , but cant seem to find any info on that!

 

[berry79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

that last pic looks like a professional job! wow. man I sure hate to pull that top back up but if I want this done right I guess I need to! I don't plan on laying under the splash well grinding and sanding, breathing that dust!!

I read alot of these forums before I started on my transom. The grinding and sanding is not to bad. I used #24 and #36 disc on my 7 1/2" grinder and 40 grit flapper disc on my 4 1/2" grinder. They will remove the coatings and get you down to good glass pretty quick. The 4 1/2" flapper disc work well in getting in the tight spots. Just be careful you don't remove to much material. It is worth the extra prep to make sure you get a good bond with the glass.

 

[dbrannon79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

I read alot of these forums before I started on my transom. The grinding and sanding is not to bad. I used #24 and #36 disc on my 7 1/2" grinder and 40 grit flapper disc on my 4 1/2" grinder. They will remove the coatings and get you down to good glass pretty quick. The 4 1/2" flapper disc work well in getting in the tight spots. Just be careful you don't remove to much material. It is worth the extra prep to make sure you get a good bond with the glass.

Thanks, I don't know why I didnt think about using my da sander, Ive been using a angle grinder I need to fix my air compressor though, it keeps shreading belts!

 

[jonesg]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

well, I guess I can scratch that, but the original problem was the rot in the floor started where the seats were attached to the floor. the floor has a coat of glass over the wood but the box the supported the seats was screwed the the floor and water penetrated into the floor through the screws. I want to prevent that from happening again.. I haven't got a floor plan as to how I'm going to mount the seats. any suggestions and even pics if how other 15' trihulls are setup would be great!

by the way, what is the actual name of the boat I have? I know it's a tri-hull made by White. when I got the boat there is no info plate on anywhere. all the info I have is from the title. there is what looks like an eagle with it's wings spread on both sides toward the rear of the boat and on one side you can see where there was a emblem that you can barely make out what looks like " Thunderora" in a cursive style signature. I've tried to google that name and haven't found anything. any ideas? If needed, I can post a pic of that.

My trouble started due to the center console screwed into the deck, screws work loose and water goes down the threads.
Its poor practice to use screws, anything that sees stress should be thru bolted with ply support on the backside.
What I did for my console was cut the mounting foot off (lip) and glassed it to the deck from inside the console, its quite solid now.

You could do the same for seat boxes, glass inside to the deck then install the top of the box. It'll never leak again.

Read what a marine surveyor writes about screwing things on a boat.
Its dumb dumb dumb.
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/Screwit.htm

 

[dbrannon79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

That was what I was thinking. Since all of the seats and the boxes were rotted out, I need to figure out where I want to put everything. need a few floor plans to get an idea! my seats were origionally back to back on one box, the two seats would fold down to make a long bench. I want to install seats for at least 5 passengers maybe 6. two front seats and three in the back, or a bench that goes across the width if the boat. and maybe one on the bow to fish from.

 

[dbrannon79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

Take a look at a couple of pics posted by berry, scroll down to the last 2 pics, this is what you are looking to do, grind the gelcoat off the hull sides and extend the glass out on the bottom of the hull from the transom.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=348422

well I lifted the top again and ground down the areas prepped them with acetone and glassed them in. now I'm ready to attach the floor. the old floor had nails holding it to the stingers. is that ok to use? or should I use screws? then glass it over??

 

[chrishayes]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

Man, every single thing you either have done wrong or have just not done at all, along with ALL of your questions are in just about every single multi page thread on this forum. THe beauty of a forum is that there is a treasure of info lurking in each post. Most forums charge a nominal fee to join and be able to post yourself. THey do this so that you will read a bunch of the info contained within before you start posting a bunch of questions that have been asked several hundred and even thousand times. Once you have all that basic info in your bag, then you can feel free to ask the more in depth questions that you are certain to have. By no means am I telling you that it is not ok to ask but it is forum rules that you at least attempt using the search feature of this site. And by all means welcome to iboats. I am glad you came here as is you hadnt you would most certainly be doing this ENTIRE repair over again shortly. Welcome aboard, and USE THE SEARCH FEATURE!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jonesg]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

well I lifted the top again and ground down the areas prepped them with acetone and glassed them in. now I'm ready to attach the floor. the old floor had nails holding it to the stingers. is that ok to use? or should I use screws? then glass it over??

Some guys do that (screws then seal) I just PL glued mine and used cindy blocks to hold it down. Glass around the edge to hull.
I didn't want any more screws thru the deck and I accomplished that.
I would glass the bottom of the deck too, one layer of mat and resin, really get the edges good before installing it.

Chris is right, you need to read the finished projects forum, I'm done here.

 

[dbrannon79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

Man, every single thing you either have done wrong or have just not done at all, along with ALL of your questions are in just about every single multi page thread on this forum. THe beauty of a forum is that there is a treasure of info lurking in each post. Most forums charge a nominal fee to join and be able to post yourself. THey do this so that you will read a bunch of the info contained within before you start posting a bunch of questions that have been asked several hundred and even thousand times. Once you have all that basic info in your bag, then you can feel free to ask the more in depth questions that you are certain to have. By no means am I telling you that it is not ok to ask but it is forum rules that you at least attempt using the search feature of this site. And by all means welcome to iboats. I am glad you came here as is you hadnt you would most certainly be doing this ENTIRE repair over again shortly. Welcome aboard, and USE THE SEARCH FEATURE!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for welcoming me, maybe I'm not searching correctly, but I have searched for the proper thing to use to attach the floor to the stingers, and haven't found what exactly what was used. other simple things I have found. as for forums charging fees to get info and post questions, I wouldn't be here if I had to pay! I prefer chat rooms where down to earth people share their knowledge freely. I can say when it comes to fixing a boat, I'm the 1st grade student. ask me most anything about a car or truck including some big rigs, and Ill be glad to share all the info I can.

I had a better look at one of the nails that was used on the floor, it's made out of brass or copper!! I wouldn't know where to find that, but was wanting to make sure I ca get away using steel nails. there are two boat shops in my area and Ive heard stories that they wont talk to you about that kind of thing, or sell you the stuff, instead, they'll say just bring us the boat and we'll do the work. wanting the $$. ya I do want to do this the right was, but if it last's me for 5 years till it needs it all over again, it'll be worth it. I got the boat for free! I think I have invested about $400 so far including changing the title, getting registration and spending $250 for another boat just for the motor.

I appreciate yall taking the time to help this poor guy (me) out. I just hope some day I can return the favor.

 

[dbrannon79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

hey guys I've been reading on how to make the coat of glass over the floor smooth. all the joints that I have made using fiberglass have come out rough and not good for a floor covering. I wanted to see if there was a way to smooth it out before painting. I found a thread on another site for repairing model airplanes and they were talking about using sheet-rock splacking! wont that crack and peel up if used on a floor? I figured that I need to use the woven cloth instead of the mat, but I have access to all the short strand mat that I want for free! I'm not trying to fill large gaps, just trying to smooth out the glassed surface before painting or laying carpet.

 

[dbrannon79]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

ok more searching, I found where you can mix body filler and resin together, add the hardeners for both and paint that over the glassed surface. do a little sanding and its ready to paint! I saw that was for making a really smooth surface for a chrome like finish, I can have a little texture, just not a real rough one.

I'll try experimenting on a scrap of plywood and see if just a light sanding will do. or if I need to use any fillers. I haven't decided if I will install carpet just yet. I want to get a smooth enough surface that can be walked on barefooted, and I'm trying to get away from so much sanding! I turned white just sanding the area to glass the transom in!

 

[jonesg]

Re: Help with Repairing a transom

I don't know where you're getting this info but its bogus for boats.
Spackle and auto bondo will not work in boats, too weak or too porous.
If it did work we'd all be doing it, I'm a sucker for the lazy way.

All the info you want is right here on iBoats for the reading.
These projects are all completed and done the right way, find one that is similar and just follow what they did, simple enougn even I could do it.

http://forums.iboats.com/forumdisplay.php?f=407

Good luck.