Transom repair

[dcobbett]

I’m looking for comments and opinions from those who have done a transom replacement (and height increase to 25”) on a standard Potter era 20’CC.
Questions are-is the red cut line O.K as shown?
How are the flat panels (labeled A) attached to the inside face of the transom?
Is plywood the material of choice, or are the composites (such as Coosa) that good?
Any Coosa suppliers in the greater Boston area?
[image][/image]

[hermco]

I would do it from the outside but if you are set on doing it from the inside the motor mounting area and the "A" areas have a putty between them and the transom.
See the pics of my 20' project boat at
http://www.hermco.net/gallery2.htm

[Bryan A.]

I have not done the entier transom on my 20 yet, but I will some time eventually. I would say cut directly up from the scupper drains in the floor if you are going to put the piece back in. I may be easier to fair that way. I'm sure others will chime in. I want to raise the boxes to gunnel height like others on the site have. You may want to consider that also.

I repaired my transom in the mid 90's some time way before CSC and I did not cut out the back, or the inside. I went down the middle with a CHAINSAW that was when I was young and stuipid. I poured about 1/2 gallon of epoxy in there too. That is going to be a bitch to get out next time around. Plan looks good so far. You have the greatest seacraft restorers at you bekon call here. Keep the pics flowing.

[Trayder]

Is the entire transom shot?

If not follow Hermco's instructions, removing "A" and "A" will be a task unless the entire transom has turned to mulch

Have you looked at this: Hammers 20.

[dcobbett]

Hermco,

No, I’m not set on which side of the boat to approach this problem from. I just thought that was a topic for another discussion. Since we are here now, I do have a few questions about doing a transom from the outside.

Pictures on most threads I’ve seen that have done the job from the outside have made a cut similar to what I show in red.

How do you get bad wood out of the areas I’ve marked as B, and if parts of a new transom are installed in those area, how do you get a bound a bond between the new pieces and the inside of the glass skin?

How do you get the new transom in place unless you divide each new layer (assume two, at ¾” each?) into multiple pieces, and don’t these additional joints tend to weaken the new work?
[image][/image]

[hermco]

Here are pics of a transom I did for my brothers boss. Quick and cheap. I dig the wood left in the edges out with a hammer,pry bar,and chisel starting at one side and working around. Backfill the edge with putty and glue in the new core,glass and roll on Duratec base primer. Sand flat with 8" Hutchins sander and spray with gelcoat mixed with patch booster from Fiberglass Coatings. Wet sand with 400/600 and buff. Done in 3 days.

[warthog5]

Questions are-is the red cut line O.K as shown?

The answer to that is NO. You have marked every radius to be cut. You want to cut as much as you can on flat spot's. Flat spot's are 10 times easier to repair than the inside corner's that you have marked.

[Protek9543]

I started my transom a week ago and am doing it just as Hemco has described. Had all the wood out in 2 hours. I bought a cheap electric chain saw to get behind the few inches of outer skin that is left behind. So far it is turning out to be a very smooth job.

John

[alarie]

Do it from the outside! Repairing all of those inside areas will take forever-no advantage to that method unless you are rebuilding all the areas to change the layout.

Mark out your cuts and grind BEFORE you cut, as this will save a ton of time when you put it back together and you will have nice and flat areas to glass back onto. Don't worry about putting the wood back in in pieces, the strength of the laminate is in the skins, the core is just holding them apart. Most foam laminates are plenty strong and the foam is often kerfed every 1"! If you are concerned, just stagger your joints, but it is not an issue.

Follow Hammer's lead, very quick way to do it. Just leave yourself enough room at the edges so you have 3-4" left to glass onto without going around the corner (much more work, as noted by others).

Peter

[dcobbett]

Hermco,

Great pictures. Thanks. How many pieces made up each layer on the project you did for your brother's boss, and how big was the overlap of those joints, first layer to second layer (I assume there were only 2 layers, correct?)?