New Transom

[McGillicuddy]

Welcome Aboard, congratulations on your new obsession, and cheers to you for rolling all the way to FL and back to fetch her. Clearly the sickness has got you and you're not alone.

I'm not sure if your intent is to use Smiths and vinyl-ester concurrently, of if your experience is with the Smiths product? I think the Smith's will stick to anything, but is way too expensive for what you'll be doing - assuming you're replacing the transom... Epoxy, glass mat and marine plywood are pretty standard fair for your project and you'll be using epoxy in varying viscosity for different purposes by thickening the epoxy mix with milled fiberglass, glass micropheres, cabosil or some other filler, thickener)

Bondo for example is a polyester with talc serving as the filler (thickener) Obviously not transom material...

Viny-lesters and polyesters are much cheaper than epoxies but not as strong. Hatches and general structures like consoles floors or baitwells would probably be fine apps for those. But I think I'd stick with epoxy for the transom. I'm sure Strick or one of the other Deans will chime in soon. Here's my meager contribution...a link to Gouegen Bros product if only for reference.

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/

The pdfs you'll find here offer some of the pre-reqs for Strick Univ.

Obviously in restoring wood boats you are probably already familiar with those short courses but thought I'd throw them out there for reference. Merton's, Composites One, and US Composites and a number of online shops can get you much better prices on materials than what you might find in your towns West Marine or whatever, depending of course on where you are. Good luck with your new baby, and keep the Princess Bride happy