Time for a New Transom(Any shops in SWFL?)

[Caymanboy]

"If you go with someone who's quoted a price less than $3K,"

Thank you, SIR!!!!!!!!!

[76Red18]

I've lived here all my life and sad to say there is no glass shop that I could comfortably recommend. There are a few top notch mechanics but no reliable boat yards.

[Caymanboy]

Isn't Boat Haus over there?

[Max_Florida]

I just got a quote from a respected place here in Fort Myers for $3600 - they said it would take around 40 hours of labor(going from the outside).

I called the guy MikeM recommended and I'm going to go see him tomorrow. He said he typically goes from the inside. We talked about some other projects he did, and he sounded like he took pride in his work and really cared about building something that was going to last. I'll see what his plan is for the transom rebuild when I meet with him.

My understanding of the requirements of a good transom job, based on what I've read in other threads and this one, is:

All old core material removed
Good quality materials used(core & resin)
1/4" thickness on the fiberglass inside & out(I'll ask for a specific schedule)
Core material & old fiberglass compressed(clamps and/or bolts/screws) when adhering them together

Anything else?

It's funny - I've spent hundreds of hours working on my boat. 12+ gallons worth of epoxy work(bow cap, deck, step down, etc.) and I have feel like the more I learn the more I realize that I don't know, haha.

[Caymanboy]

"He said he typically goes from the inside."
On most of the SeaCrafts, particularly the ones with aft seats, I have NEVER understood the logic in this, perhaps someone can enlighten me-------.

[Bushwacker]

Masao,

Here's some reference info to give you some idea of what the original layup looked like.

The laminate schedule for the hull listed in the 1969 Boating Magazine article on the 20' Seafari was: 1M +1M + 18R+1M+18R+1M+18R+1M+18R+1M+18R, where 1M = 1 oz. mat and 18R = 18 oz. roving. Another way to think of it is 1 layer of mat and 5 layers of 1801 with the mat side facing the gel coat. Total hull thickness was 0.221" and I think this would apply to the outside of the transom as well as the hull, since it was layed up at the same time. That works out to about 0.040" per layer of 1801 if you figure the gel coat thickness and first layer of mat was about 0.021". It doesn't say what the laminate schedule was for the inside of the transom was. We used 3 layers 1708 on the inside of the transom on Skip & Carla's 21, and I think we got about 1/16" (0.0625") per layer. so the 8 oz mat must make that stuff a little thicker than 1801.

After Don Herman installed the bracket on my boat, I drilled a 1.5" hole in my original transom to install an overflow for the under-seat bait well, since the original baitwell inlet/outlet was covered up by the flotation tub on the Hermco bracket. I kept the plug from that hole and just took a look at it with a vernier caliper, so here's what I came up with thickness for each layer:

The outer skin thickness of this core, including the gel coat, measures about 0.25". There were two layers of 3/4" plywood (which were totally dry - confirming Don's comment that it was the driest transom he had ever seen in a 34 year-old boat!), and then the inside layer of glass appeared to be about 0.190" thick, or maybe 5 layers of 1801. (Makes technical sense to me that Moesly would specify the same laminate schedule on each side of the transom core from an engineering perspective.) There is then a layer of about 0.190" of Potter putty and then the baitwell glass, which I think is chopper gun layup, that is about 0.110" thick. Hope this helps! Denny

[hermco]

I done a couple of em. I likey the outside. By far the easiest and fastest way to do one.

[DonV]

I've only done one....mine, which I poured with Arjay. Ditto on Don's assessment! I used the old skin and the fairing was not difficult. Good luck!

[Caymanboy]

Originally Posted by hermco

I done a couple of em. I likey the outside. By far the easiest and fastest way to do one.

That is very nice Don, I am glad I am not the only one sniffing the resin. :-)

[hermco]

Originally Posted by Caymanboy

That is very nice Don, I am glad I am not the only one sniffing the resin. :-)