wood transom finish

[todd281]

My project involves replacing the wood transom in a aluminum boat . I have the transom built and ready to install,except the finish. I want to be able to see the wood after the finish is applied so only a clear finish is acceptable. In the forums i have read that most use a epoxy coating ,then for UV protection coat that with spar varnish. West systems recommends coating there epoxy this way. My question is why use the epoxy ? Why not just coat it with the varnish? thanks for any advice in advance

 

[Bob_VT]

Epoxy is the strongest and will do the job......it is clear and pretty then the marine varnish will protect it from UV.

YES you are correct and using varnish alone is just fine. I suggest when using varnish be sure to lightly sand between coats and it comes out great.

I tend to look at the current age of the boat and think about how long the previous transom lasted. Think about how long you will keep the boat and how you will be treating it.

Yep, go with the varnish - epoxy does not add anything except a super hard coating on the surface - save yourself a few dollars

 

[Bob_VT]

I just finished sealing up a 14' jon boat and it has an original transom - I am going to row this around or maybe use a trolling motor........ transom looks sound and is sturdy so I am leaving well enough alone.

 

[todd281]

I am working on a 14 foot Crestliner. The prior owner was a sawzall carpenter, [someone please take his drill away] and its been quite a challenge. I have the new transom built out of white oak and mahogany laminated kinda butcher-block looking. I am working on making the dash to match. So far; new floors, stripped/etched/painted below the waterline, replaced all the hull rivets , Coat-it on the bottom . wire weld all the transom holes, new foam floatation . I will post a few pictures when I can, and it looks more like a boat. Full speed ahead..

 

[Woodonglass]

You might try using the Old Timer's recipe on your transom. A LOT of our members have used it and like it a lot,.

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/boa...sylvan-transom-repair?p=10174250#post10174250​

 

[Downwindtracker2]

I'm doing something of the same thing. On my tinny there is an 8"x1" plywood board going across to stiffen the transom. Since I don't want to bother doing it again, I'm sealing it with epoxy. Water molecules will easily pass through varnish, so thus the epoxy. I'm using System Three S1 sealing epoxy. I'll then paint over it. I even matched the interior factory colour, peach, chuckle. But the outboard pad on the outside I consider it a renewable part, so I'm just varnishing it. BTW Minwax Helmsman varnish is the worst varnish I've ever used. I'm cheap so I'll use it up, and it's only on a tinny. I've used excellent, good, average, and now poor varnishes.

 

[Woodonglass]

Uhmm not sure where you get your notion that water molecules will easily permeate varnish but that's just not correct. Unless it totally submerged in water for a LONG time it's perfectly acceptable for a sealant. Any spar varnish will work with the OLD TIMERS RECIPE. Some ARE better than others. For a transom, which for the most part doesn't see all that much water and if it does it's usually for a limited amount of time, the recipe is a viable alternative but...Epoxy IS the best but it must be protected with a UV coating.

 

[archbuilder]

Just some info: If you remember back to physics class, water has a tendency to cling to itself when liquid. So when it is in a liquid state, you don't see individual molecules, just really big clumps of them. That is why water beads up and we get rain drops. Water vapor on the other hand is composed of individual molecules, this is why Tyvek works. Water vapor can pass through its weave (Tyvek is basically a woven cloth), but liquid water clumps can't since they are too big. I suspect the same is true of varnish to a certain extent. But I would think the varnish would also make it difficult for the vapor to pass through it.

I put System 3 clear coat epoxy on my seat frames and topcoat the exposed portions with varnish. I think it is belts and suspenders, but that is what I do. And it does add to the cost.