My take is that the odds are strongly in favor of original transoms probably being compromised, at least to some extent. I'm not as "anti-wood" as some guys, if you start with marine ply and encapsulate in epoxy, but that's not how it was done in the 70's. And as the boats have aged, many have had holes drilled and not sealed correctly, not received the proper repair and maintenance needed, etc. So, yeah, I think it's probably a good idea to expect the transom to have issues - if it doesn't flex, doesn't have a reinforcing plate, taps solid, moisture meter readings look decent, and old screws and bolts come out dry, you're one lucky guy!
__________________
1977 23' Sceptre
|