Transom suggestions/recommendations needed

[FELLOW-SHIP]

General comment
If I ever did another boat or needed to do mine again I would do the transom with the new composite materials. When I did mine a few years ago I did not have enough confidence in the stuff, but now, after all the boats with the newer materials in them, and I haven’t heard of any problems in the last few years, along with the weight problems in all transoms to me, composite it the way to go. It seems to me, sooner or later there is going to be some water seeping into the transom lamination because of motor torque, vibrations, trim tab flex, or just poor installation of something. I’m sold.
FellowShip

[JohnB]

Fellowship/All,
If you had to pick a coring material for a transom, what would you pick?
I recorred my fuel hatch/etc with divincell, and really like the stuff. It's only been in there a month, but it is lighter and stiffer the when I have used plywood in the past. The only thing I am concerned about is compressing it with bolts. I'm am not convinced it would hold up as well as plywood does when compressed by mounting bolts. There are probably things you could do like put a brass/stainless collar insert in the holes.
What does everyone think???

[gw204]

John,

I'm considering this stuff:

http://www.coosacomposites.com/bluewater.html

Some guys on the Classic Mako forum have used a single 1.5" thick Bluewater 26 panel for the core and gave it great reviews. I believe this is what Sea Hunt is using in their transoms.

[JohnB]

I looked at some of that stuff when I did my hatches, but I was looking for a coring to reuse the skins, and I found a pretty good deal on the divincell. I probably would be more inclined to use something like the coosa stuff, but would have to think a while on the tactics/methods in using it. The best method I have found so far is to use 5-6 sheets of luan plywood with epoxy saturation. Once that gets saturated all the way thru with epoxy, I don't think it will ever come apart, but it is alot of work doing it that way, and takes a long time. This coosa core would be alot faster, easier (I think).

[omaier]

John,
I have used both Coosa and Corecell to replace the coring in all of my hatches. Given what you are looking to accomplish, I would suggest Coosa. To address the screw compression ... I knew where screws/bolts would be re-installed and so cut out the coring and filled the space back in with fiberglass laminate before adding the fiberglass skin ... strong as nails!!

I have the same issue with my transom (wet coring) and will need to replace it over the next couple of years. To dry out the coring I cut out the inside fiberglass skin leaving the bare plywood exposed to dry out. Seems to be working.

It will pay to map out the shortest route to the fiberglass and beer stores ... the path will be travelled frequently [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[JohnB]

Mike,
Did you use epoxy or regular fiberglass (vinalstar (sp?)) with the coosa? I like the idea addressing the holes, but I am thinking about putting a bracket on, and would have to get the bracket ahead of time to line up the mounting holes.

[omaier]

John,
I used West system and fiberglass mat to build up the holes ... took about 8 - 10 layers but they can all be done at the same time.

Mike