Transom core materials

[cSickNick]

Thanks again for the feedback on this.

While pondering what to do with my failing transom (last summer), I ran into a "old timer" fiberglass man. He would not listen to anything but replacing the transom back with marine ply. He said " How old is your boat?" I said "25 years old". He said "I will guarantee the new plywood transom for 25 years". I said " Great, when will it be done?" He laughed " One week after you remove the old one!". I said (of course, he did not hear) "Smart Ass!".

Here is what "I" did;

- Removed engine, hardware, etc off the transom
- Cut the (already) cracked transom cap off (i used a dremel ceramic bit)
- Cut(dremel) the inside fiberglass transom liner ~ 2 " from the sides and bottom. (Note: I had the access through original outside vents, rear seats and a newly planned Bomar hatch cutout in the motor splashwell/bildge.)
- Remove the rotten transom core through the top and/or the inside. ( I used the old New England chain saw for most of it! Careful!!)

With the old transom core and inside fiberglass liner removed,

Here is what "he" did;

- Make a template (cardboard) of the transom
- Using the transom template, mark and cut out two pieces on 3/4" marine ply

Now he needed to make the 2 transom pieces into 4 pieces in order to slide down and around the top deck rear corners of the transom cap. He just cut vertically ~8" off each piece on opposite sides to staggered the seams.

- Wet pieces and inside transom with resin, slide new transom pieces into place through the top
- From the inside tape and resin all seems
- Re-drilled holes for motor, hardware, splashwell and bilge drains
- Had a SS transom cap/plate made
- Re-mounted engine

Then "I" went back to fishing!

- Nick