I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

[y2j]

Here is my transom <br /><br />

<br /><br />The green is where it is all rotted and soft the point that it had indented that the outer skin is deformed. The rest is 100% O.K... I guess it woudl be better if i go the full monty and replace the whole transom.. What i have lined in red is where i plan to cut with a dremel rotary tool with a cut off wheel with about 1cm offset all around so i don't ruin the edges of the boat and also so the skin has a mold to go back into, basically grinding until i reach wood then peel of the skin and start cutting out the wood. When i get it all of the wood out (should it unstick from the inner skin?) I will then put a mat inside the cavity and wet it out with expoxy and then when its still wet put the plywood in which has also been covered in epoxy but no mat so it forms into shape.. Then put screws all around the corners so it holds strongly.. Then when that drys wet out the plywood then put a mat over the plywood and keep epoxying it until it reaches enough elevation so i can put on my outter skin and then sand/putty/sand/prime/paint?<br /><br />I was also wondering that the transom solely doesn't rely on the reinforced epoxy.. You have to screw it too right? Where would you screw it into though?

 

[vegard]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

The best way to do it is to get it from the inside, without chopping your hull up. I took the deck off my boat to do mine. The second thins is that your gonna find that although Drewels are great for jewelery repair, they are too small and weak for boat repair. Get an angle grinder. That was the single most useful tool when I redid my transom (and floor). It cuts like butter and grinds away all the crap thats leftover. Good luck with your project. Why dont you post some pictures of the boat too?

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

i really don't wanna take the deck off .. Im going to be painting with polyurethane over the transom and deck again because the sides and bottom i did last yera and there still brand new but i screwed up with the deck and transom ;(<br /><br />If i do it from the inside i would have to remove my floor but the floor is rock solid as well Because i have a wierd bilge<br /><br />So my only option is to do it from the outside then bog up all the voids so its smooth with a good putty after all the epoxy work<br /><br />

<br /><br />^BEFORE<br /><br />

<br /><br />As you can see its a pretty boat and i put alot of work into the bottom and top.. But the top now has to be done properly and i don't wanna affect the paintjob on the sides and underside.. Instead taping it off and painting the transom and deck with the polyurethane 2 pac paint<br /><br />And i have no access on the inside so would my way be alrite? Is there anyway to make a new skin as well?

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

like my outer skin is pathetic it is very terrible<br /><br />I would have to patch up at least half of it after the transom repair.. Is there anyway i can make a new skin or can i just build up the epoxy far enough then sand and paint?

 

[Terry H]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

y2j...thar's no reason not to go in from the outside to remove the rotted material. I would cut the entire skin away and replace the whole thing. Be sure to leave a 2" flange around the hull to bond the new glass to. You won't be able to install the new core in one piece that way...unless you cut the top out...but if you are using 2 thicknesses of 3/4 ply you can make each layer in 2 pieces and generously overlap the seams. Gluing and screwing each piece in. If you need more assist with this method email me with more dimensions and I can help you figger it out. I don't know how to post pics here or I'd make a drawing for you. I think this is stronger than going from the inside anyhows, you just will need to finish the outside of the transom, which you will do anyway...Thought100@aol.com

 

[JasonJ]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

I have never really liked the thought of someone redoing a transom from the outside. The transom is subjected to tremendous force, and reskinning, even with epoxy, cannot be as strong as leaving the outer skin intact. Since you have to repaint the upper deck anyway, why don't you just cut the back section of the deck and remove the whole section. You could cut it right where the gunnels start, and remove that whole back section, splashwell and all. Rebuild your transom, remount the rear portion of the deck, and repair the cuts you made. You could then repair the damage section on the transom shell and be done with it. I am a big fan of seperating the deck, but then I suffer from masocistic tendencies. If I were in your shoes, I would NOT cut that skin though. Just my 2 cents.....Good luck however you go.

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

www.myfishingpictures.com<br /><br />If you go to this site and sign up theres an upload button at the top after you log in and you upload stuff<br /><br />Then when the picture is uploaded you right click on the uploaded picture and copy the address of it <br /><br />Then you click Image button its under the Instant UBB Code menu when you make a reply in a thread and then you enter the address of the picture and click ok then add reply ;0<br /><br />Basically I really have to give it a go from the outside because the skin on the outside is terrible anyway and when i glue it back on it might straighten out Anyway when you remove the skin does it just unstick from the wood?<br /><br />Also when you start epoxy and fibreglassing the transom what is the sandwich if im doing ti from the outside<br /><br />Inner Skin > Mat + Resin > Plywood Layers > Matt + resin > Outer Skin<br /><br />Also arent screws a major factor of the transom don't they add some support? <br /><br />Thanks guys and thought i hope you can try out the method i posted before to post pics<br /><br />Im going to start hacking away on the transom tomorrow because i really don't have the time in a few weeks

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

I saw someone also do there project called "Razorback" or something and the website was posted here.. It looked awesome when finished and he did it from the outside.. And after that he mounted a inline 6 merc thunderbolt Beast on the back and its only a tiny 13 foot boat <br /><br />My boat only has a 65hp Merc on the back so it aint that heavy but the current transom is going to die and i don't wanna risk it. And i seriously can't go from the inside there is no way I wouldn't be able to access all the wood my floor takes up half of the transom ;(

 

[Terry H]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

y2j...I have never put the old skin back, I reglass with layers of 8 oz woven glass and resin till I reach the desired thickness...attaching to the 2" flange I left at the sides and then fair and finish...has always worked like a charm...just a Thought

 

[DJ]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

y2j,<br /><br />I too, am not a fan of repairing a transom from the outside. Why? Because it never looks right and I HATE to sand.<br /><br />Seeing that your rot is quite small, relative to the overall transom, you may just cut out that section. Repair it and reinforce with a nice looking plate on the exterior.<br /><br />Just a thought.

 

[BillP]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

Ditto on what djohns19 said. If the area is small enough there is no reason you cannot cut it out and replace with good wood. It isn't that easy to remove a good solid transom unless you cut it out from the rear either. I am guessing though, that you will find very wet wood next to the rotted part. This has to be dry or the rot will continue.<br /><br />Here's brief description on kinda sorta how I would do it:<br />1.Cut the bad wood out with a skill saw set deep enough to get to the last layer. Chisels may be in order to remove the last skin of wood to glass.<br /><br />2.Dry the wood around the cutout with fans, acetone or whatever...this can take weeks for plywood. I left a window fan blowing on a bad area once for 4 weeks. You can core drill to see how dry it is. Just make sure it is dry.<br /><br />3. Cut a ply insert (probably 3/4" ply but match what came out) and glue it in. It has to fit flush so you can do step 4 & 5. Gap filling glue may be necessary. Epoxy would be my choice. <br /><br />4.Cut another 3/4" piece (technically a cleat)to cover the insert and overlap at least 6"-8" onto the old transom. <br /><br />5.Glue and screw the cleat to the new insert and old transom (steps 3,4 & 5 could be combined if you can fit the wood right - make the wood pieces and glue them together, then install as one unit).<br /><br />6.Make a determination whether you want to add more structure...it can be a knee etc.<br /><br />7. Glass it good<br /><br />Bill P.

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

the rot is patchy but its concentrated in that area. But i can see its spread because of rot bubbles (osmosis) coming up in other places on the transom the whole things gotta go i got no choice<br /><br />Basically the whole things gotta come out its all s h i t ..<br /><br />It still has the original transom from 40 years ago.. unbelievable huh so i don't care its all got to go<br /><br />The floor/stringers are rock solid though so ididn't tamper with them instead of coating them more with resin<br /><br />Basically I think im still gonna give it a go from the outside because im not going to use the original skin most probably anyway ;( Its got at least 15 holes in it and its not straight and all cracked :/<br /><br />Im gonna leave a 1-2inch flange on the left and right sides and off the bottom hack out all the rotty wood plus good wood<br /><br />Put a heap of resin inside then stick on a mat and wet out the mat until its soaked then press on the first layer of plywood onto it with screws.. Then the 2nd layer with resin glue mixture in between, then 3rd 4th etc.. until i reach enough thickness. Then im going to cover the plywood in with mat and wet it out and keep coating it until i reach my desired thickness then sand, prime and paint?<br /><br />Should i be putting a fibreglass mat underneath the plywood then placing the ply onto it or just glue the plywood to the inner skin?<br /><br />And also i just realised if i elave a 1-2inch flange all around the edges i won't be able to get the whole wood in. What method should i use to get the wood in?<br /><br />Thanks guys ive learnt so much

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

I also forgot to ask if i would have to do it in 2 pieces where would i do the cut in the plywood?

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

my god. I took the outer skin off and the half the plywood was waterlogged<br /><br />It is of the consistency of wet ground up mulch<br /><br />I can scrape it out with a chisel

 

[Terry H]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

y2j...good work...you might consider cutting fiberglass away at the top enough to get wood in in one piece by dropping in from there, that's the toughest area to finish neatly but the time savings might be worth it. I normally fit the new wood then drill out the engine mounting holes and drain holes for which I can thru bolt large plywood pieces to the inside for to clamp new transom wood in place and get a good bond...keep the questions coming...just a Thought

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

<br /><br />Thats the transom ... 1 piece = no go ;(<br /><br />I have hacked most of it out so far as i can see the stringers there a bit shabby on the edges but then again ill grind it out and screw on another piece and glass it in<br /><br />also if i use thin piece of plywood and build it up.. Correct me if im wrong but won't the plywood be a bit flexy so ill be able to flex it into positoin ? with the 2 inch flange stopping me from doing it normally?<br /><br />Thanks guys

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

also when the factory did it 40 years ago .. they did a piece of plywood against the inner skin.. Then a fibreglass mat and resin then the next layerplywood pressed against that then the outer skin..<br /><br />Wierd huh ? You reckon i should do the same?

 

[JasonJ]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

They always build build the boat from the outside in. They would have first layed the gelcoat, then layed all the layers for the hull shell. They then would have layed in the transom, followed by stringers, and then the floor. The upper deck would have been built in a seperate mold, popped out, and affixed to the hull, and final finish work would have been done. Most builders would have used a single piece of ply that has been manufactured to the thickness requirement of the builder and then glassed in. I built my transom like yours is, a layer of ply, a layer of glass, a layer of ply, and glassed it in with mat and roving. My layers were also screwed together every six inches with stainless screws. After all was put together, I installed a piece of 1/8 inch aluminum plate between motor clamps and transom on each side, to distribute load further.

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

sounds like overkill jason<br /><br />And overkill i like so i will do the same most probably

 

[y2j]

Re: I guess i gotta put a new transom in ;( Help me guys im a bit lost

your transom is similar to mine how many gallons did you use roughly of epoxy and how many layers of ply? <br /><br />Thanks guys