Subpar Transom Repair - Thoughts?
 

Long story short: How big of a deal is it that there is not the proper 3/16" to 1/4" layer of fiberglass across the inside of a transom?


The long story:

I found a one man operation who agreed to redo my transom for $1900. We discussed what types of materials he was going to use(2x 3/4" marine ply) and what schedule he was going to use for the fiberglass. He wanted to go from the inside of the boat because he said he "couldn't understand how you can get a strong repair from the outside". The guy seemed honest and like he took pride in his work, so I agreed.

Fast forward two weeks and I get my boat back. I go to put on trim tabs. I drill out the 3/4" holes for the hydraulic lines(effectively taking core samples) and I find that the only thing that he put across the inside of the transom was a thin layer of roving. The sides ARE tabbed in in what appears to be a strong manner.

I spoke with the guy on the phone for 20 minutes and he basically said:

1) That's how he has always done it - that is the way it is done
2) It is not necessary to put the fiberglass on the inside
3) The repair is extremely strong and I will never have an issue with it

At this point I don't really know what to do. I don't want to have the guy "Fix it" because the likelihood that he is going to do the whole repair correctly is slim to none. Getting my money back via the legal system will be difficult as I paid in cash, and neglected to get a receipt. I also didn't have him specify the schedule he was going to use in the contract. I know I was stupid on both counts. In my defense I am usually a good judge of character and the guy came across as extremely honest and proud of his work.

Just to let you know......on my 23'er when I re-did my transom the inside layer of glass was mo more than 1/8" to a max 3/16" thick. The outside was a different story.

The inside of mine is ~1/16".

One layer of woven lasted 40 years in this 1969 20sf. That said I would have probably put down 2 layers but you should be fine so I would not be too worried about it as long as the laminate was bonded to the outer skin properly.

http://www.casdvm.com/photos/20sf/DSCN5192.JPG


strick

Isn't the question whether or not the work performed was what you (both) contracted to do or have done? Seems to me if you have a quote or contract for a specific lay-up that's what you're paying for regardless if something else "will work".

Maseo, the bending loads from the motor acting on the transom will put tensile loads in the inner skin, so ideally you'd want more than 1 layer on the inside. I think we used 3 layers on inside of transom on Skip & Carla's boat, based on recommendations from a really good professional fiberglass guy. If you have any future repairs done, it'd be good to run 'em by this forum first! However, what you have now is undoubtedly a lot stronger than what you had before with the rotted wood core, especially if the guy used epoxy resin! Your new core will now carry the loads that were probably carried by the glass skin on the old one. These boats are so overbuilt that you should be ok, especially since you're not racing it! Denny

There's one other thing to look out for. A thick inner laminate spreads the crushing/puncture loads from the engine mounting bolts. Your thin laminate won't, so either get large fender washers or plates to spread the load over a larger area.
Dave

An guy like Denny could explain the engineered foam core laminate concept better than I could. The repair with the wood core is relying on the wood as a structural component with the inner skin acting mainly as a sealer against rot. Most modern boat builders use an equal amount of laminate on both sides of a foam core for transoms , decks etc. these days. In other words "I" beam construction.

You could also install some brass or SS sleeves in the holes for the engine mount bolts to help carry the crush loads.

Don's right about the I-beam concept for cored construction. Equal laminate thickness on each side of the core would create maximum stiffness, but I suspect most boat builders are inclined to cut corners and reduce cost on thickness of the inside laminate!

Don`t crank the studs. Seal and love. Square tabs or a custom Parker what do you call those?