Opinions needed on transom repair

[reelfishin]

I've pretty much decided that no matter how attractive the Seacast method may be, the cost simply eliminates it as a choice for this boat. (1962 Glasspar Tacoma

The transom is curved, and there is no real inner wall or skin to speak of, so in order to do the Seacast method, I would still need to buy as much or more lumber than would be needed to just do the repair with wood in the first place.

Since the transom is so curved, my solution is to go about this one this way:

First, cut away the inner skin to completely remove all of the old wood transom thoroughly. Then cut back the upper deck on each side the 1.5 to 2" needed to gain access to the total transom width from the top.

(The original wood is three layers of 3/8" plywood which is cut in sections, not three stacked sheets).

What I am contemplating doing is laminating 6 sheets of 1/4" plywood in one at a time with epoxy, clamping each in place and letting it set up before setting the next one in place.
I figure that trying to build and and curve the entire transom assembly out of the boat as one laminated piece would be too hard, in both refitting it, as well as matching and setting the right curve with the tools at hand.
I figure that the 1/4" plywood would be more susceptible to holding the curved shape and not distorting the outer skin as easily. I may also have to cut each sheet in sections to get it in place, for instance, the first sheet in may be in 2 pieces, the next in 3 pieces, and then another in 2 or what ever it takes to fit it in place without doing any exterior cutting and being as un-intrusive on the original hull as I can be. I feel that the less that I cut of the original glass, the stronger the result will be. The upper deck on this is glassed in place, how well I can't say, but there are no fasteners and I don't care to ruin the rub rail either if I don't have too. The floor is solid, there are no stringers, at least not as dimensional lumber, it only has a few one by shims or spacers that level the floor out from what I can see. There's only 2 7/8" between the bottom of the floor to the lowest center point of the bilge. The floor and those shims or runners all all new from a prior floor replacement.

My question is basically whether or not the idea of both layering in the transom with 1/4" plywood sounds like it will work, and whether or not doing so with partial sections in each layer will end up with a solid transom?

Keep in mind that the original transom looked like it was made of many smaller pieces of 3/8" plywood, most pieces in each layer were no more than 5 or 6" wide by the height of the transom, with no sort of adhesive or resin to bond them. I would be using an epoxy resin with some thin fiberglass mat or cloth in between and I would epoxy the entire deal directly to the hull. (The original did not appear to be glassed in, there was no wood adhered to the inner skins, and they are as shiny and smooth as the outside of the boat. My take was that the wood was set in just before the cap was put on, whether as a whole unit or in pieces. I also plan to add some 90 degree gussets down on each side of the motor area to add some more support to this transom, as well as making the splashwell an integral part of the hull or deck rather than a bolt on after thought as it appears to be. (I've seen a few of these that didn't have the splashwell, nor was the inner transom skinned over with a layer of glass, so either the splashwell was an option or an early model only deal on these).

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Opinions needed on transom repair

that's the best solution i can think of. i've use the 2 piece lapped with 3 piece for the next layer on straight transoms several times without problems.

i'm willing to bet at the factory, that transom was built as a unit in a steam press. they steam the wood then glue it and into a high pressure press. like the was we use to make water ski's.

i was in the Orlando area picking up a boat i bought this week. and have another down there to pick up. (bought just for trailer) went to look at it in person to decide whether to repair or dump it. it has the 3 section transom that is gone. when i go back to get the trailer, chain saw in hand. i'm going to strip the hardware, and drop it at the dump.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Opinions needed on transom repair

that's the best solution i can think of. i've use the 2 piece lapped with 3 piece for the next layer on straight transoms several times without problems.

i'm willing to bet at the factory, that transom was built as a unit in a steam press. they steam the wood then glue it and into a high pressure press. like the was we use to make water ski's.

i was in the Orlando area picking up a boat i bought this week. and have another down there to pick up. (bought just for trailer) went to look at it in person to decide whether to repair or dump it. it has the 3 section transom that is gone. when i go back to get the trailer, chain saw in hand. i'm going to strip the hardware, and drop it at the dump.

I don't think this had any glue, there's no sign of any bonding anywhere on any of the wood, the areas that are not rotted are smooth clean plywood, it's not even bonded or left a mark on the inner sides of the glass skin. I think they must have dropped in the pieces after the hull was complete, (the floor level drain tubes are glassed in and the wood is cut around the glass buy a good bit. The same goes for the wing areas, the port side is obviously a separate piece, not even layered in, just a stack of cut to fit 3/8" plywood that's stapled together and slid sideways into the port side wing area. The right side is part of the lower transom panels. It all looks factory, but if it's not, it's been done many years ago and without disturbing any glass work.
I say it looks factory because the tops of the wing area plywood still has hardened gel coat on the top from where the upper deck was sealed and finished after the transom was in. They used some sort of filler foam to seal the corners and gaps both at the top ad down low. It's hard foam and not flotation foam. I am debating whether or not to cut the deck corners at the top, I would only have to cut back about an inch from the back on each side and the deck only extends on each side, it does not come across the rear and the two rear deck extensions are only about 5" wide on each side. I suppose I could easily glass them back in and it would allow me to get the transom panels in in one piece. My concern is how much strength might I be sacrificing by cutting off the upper corner area of the deck? It will be hard to get up inside and re-glass them back on securely. It would make the transom job a lot easier though.
I found another boat nearly identical to this today for cheap, it's in a little better shape but is a year or two newer. They did away with the curved transom in the never models. I may buy it just for comparison and a spare trailer. It's got new tires, springs, a running motor, good floors and the transom seems solid too. The price is less than the cost of the fuel to tow it home. (I just wish I had more room, I hate turning down a good boat just because I don't have any room to park it here).