Transom needs replacement HELP!!!

[weekendfisher]

Hi Guys
As this is my first time posting on these forums i apoligise if i have posted in the wrong section.
I have just discovered my transom is soft around where the motor mounts and i am not willing to risk taking it out as is so there are 2 options...
First was to see what the shops were quoting and at 3-4k its out of the question for this boat i love the shape but its old and not worth putting that cash into it when i could put it towards another boat which is the other option.
The way i would kind of prefer to go is replace the transom myself and during that pull up the floor and modify the layout to how i want it to be.

My fibreglass skills are very limited and i am not comfortable glassing in a structural part like the transom.
I would like to know if anyone can recommend a place that will do what i am after relativley cheap or if there is anyone who is experienced in this and would like some extra cash (beer is supplied of course) to help with the replacement and guide me in the repair.
I am happy to do the work just not comfortable with doing the transom i want something i know will be better than new when i take it out.
The boat is a 15ft open fibre glass runabout if possible i would like to make the transom stronger to accomodate a bigger motor or a second one
Any help at all in this matter would be appreciated
If the repair idea options get exhausted i will be looking to replace the boat.
Thanks
PS sorry for the SA

[svranjic]

Hey mate

Where are you located? Not in WA by any chance because I would be keen to make some cash!

Take a look at this thread
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=165427

This was the transom rebuild I did on my 15ft glass runabout. With help from the knowledgeable and friendly folks here on ausfish I managed to rebuild mine and I had limited experience with fiberglassing.

First of all I wouldn't be spending 3 or 4k to have it done. Really if you are doing it using polyester resin it shouldn't cost any more than $500 - $600 depending on what tools you have. Using epoxy resin it will be more expensive.

Regarding the floor and other mods that is a massive project mate, the transom itself is pretty time consuming.

Firstly if you could post some pics up that would be great.

Also you will need to find out what the stringers etc under the floor are like before you decide. If the floor, stringers and transom are rotted then you will know where your at. Better to know now than to start the transom and find out after.

Cheers

Shane

[weekendfisher]

Thanks for the reply Shane,
Unfortunatley not i am in Sydney in the hills area

I am just assuimg that at least the rear half of the stringers will need replacing since that usually goes hand in hand with a wet transom.
I was planning to respray the boat and that is how i came across the transom weakness so i might as well do it all properly in once big hit.
I didn't have pics on the pc i put the orignal post up on but i have on this one so ill put in a pic to serve as a guide.
I figure since i would be removing the transom i would need to check the stringers anyway which would require pulling up the floor my new floor plan is pretty simple i want it flat and i will be screwing pedestal seat bases to it and building a storage box seat for the rear so the floor should be easy ....
Cheers

[dodgyone]

Hey mate

Where are you located? Not in WA by any chance because I would be keen to make some cash!

Take a look at this thread
http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/showthread.php?t=165427

This was the transom rebuild I did on my 15ft glass runabout. With help from the knowledgeable and friendly folks here on ausfish I managed to rebuild mine and I had limited experience with fiberglassing.

First of all I wouldn't be spending 3 or 4k to have it done. Really if you are doing it using polyester resin it shouldn't cost any more than $500 - $600 depending on what tools you have. Using epoxy resin it will be more expensive.

Regarding the floor and other mods that is a massive project mate, the transom itself is pretty time consuming.

Firstly if you could post some pics up that would be great.

Also you will need to find out what the stringers etc under the floor are like before you decide. If the floor, stringers and transom are rotted then you will know where your at. Better to know now than to start the transom and find out after.

Cheers

Shane



So your interested in taking on some glass work?

[Jarrah Jack]

So your interested in taking on some glass work?

What have you done now Dodgy?

Back on topic Svranjic has done the hard yards and came up well.

[svranjic]

So your interested in taking on some glass work?

Depends what the work is, what did you have in mind?

[svranjic]

Thanks for the reply Shane,
Unfortunatley not i am in Sydney in the hills area

I am just assuimg that at least the rear half of the stringers will need replacing since that usually goes hand in hand with a wet transom.
I was planning to respray the boat and that is how i came across the transom weakness so i might as well do it all properly in once big hit.
I didn't have pics on the pc i put the orignal post up on but i have on this one so ill put in a pic to serve as a guide.
I figure since i would be removing the transom i would need to check the stringers anyway which would require pulling up the floor my new floor plan is pretty simple i want it flat and i will be screwing pedestal seat bases to it and building a storage box seat for the rear so the floor should be easy ....
Cheers

If you are going to pull up the old floor then you may as well do the transom from the inside. This will also allow you to add some strength to it because it means you can build the transom backwards if that makes sense. Although you would have to cut out the splashwell. The less cutting you do on the outside the less finishing required.

That is a fairly straightforward transom design.

[weekendfisher]

Hey
The transom should be fairly simple to cut to shape and fit being that is a simple shape not to many curves.
i have been told by many that it should be done from the inside to keep the strentgh thats the only reason i was going to do the floor aswell was part of the floor would need to come out to do it from inside
I think ill pop the cap off the boat to make it easier to access it all and this means the splash well will come up with that so no cutting will be required.
Cheers

[svranjic]

Hey

Just to clarify a couple of things of importance.

As discussed in the thread outlining my rebuild - A transom repair does NOT have to be done from the inside. Repairing a transom from the outside does not harm the structural integrity of the transom as long as you leave sufficient gap or perimeter around the transom where you cut. The strength is in the corners of the rear of the hull. Also the stress placed on the transom by the outboard is mainly in a couple of areas, the splashwell and the bottom at the floor.

If you are only replacing the floor because you thought you had to do it from the inside I would highly recommend against doing that...... Many many boat repairers replace transoms from the outside, on some boats this is the easiest and most practical way of doing it. Thats not to say doing it from the inside is not ok because it is fine also. That transom is extremely easy to do from the outside, that is what I would do. It saves cutting up the floor and splashwell.

The finishing of the transom doing it from the rear is also not an issue seeing as you are intending on spraying the boat.

The only reason I would do it from the inside is if you want to widen the transom ie build it in, or if you want to do the stringers and new floor. But believe me doing the floor, stringers and transom is a massive job and this boat wont see water for a long long time. The transom itself is a pretty big task.

When I spoke to many fiberglassers and repairers everyone said it has to be done from the inside. Its funny because when I went into the glass shop to by the glass matt and showed them the west system guide to rebuilding transoms from the rear, as well as jeff websters magazine on this topic. They had no clue.

There are many on these forums who will agree

[Steeler]

Had transoms done in the past both ways and to be honest unless you are doing a holus bolus job then the transom from the outside is fine.I had a inline six Merc hanging off a transom for many years that was done from the outside with no issues what so ever.

[Jarrah Jack]

.I had a inline six Merc hanging off a transom for many years that was done from the outside with no issues what so ever.

Did you get it going?

[dodgyone]

What have you done now Dodgy?

Back on topic Svranjic has done the hard yards and came up well.

Nothing JJ. Just toying with a few ideas for the 17.

[fiftyfifty]

Hi weekendfisher,

My transom was soft also and to have a look at the problem, I took off the aluminium capping and cut the 2 inch strip of fibreglass running along the top (after taking motor off).

I discovered the transom was not just "soft" but literally wet sawdust. If not for the strength of the inner and outer skin, the motor would have dropped off long ago.

Because it was easy to get out, I dug out the soft wet wood and was left with the cavity between the inner and outer skin. I made a template from the back of the boat, shaped the new ply and sealed it with woodpreserver. Next weekend, I got the family around and we mixed up quite a bit of epoxy glue and smeared it all over new transom and spread it around inside cavity. (You've got to work quick) We then just slid the new piece in and the whole thing went off rock hard.

New holes were drilled and all sealed with woodpreserver numerous times. Plenty of marine sikaflex was used to seal all bolts etc.

Its now the strongest part of the boat and best part was we did it ourselves. No fibreglass was removed (except that top strip) so no itching.

Hope your project goes well, whichever method you end up using.

[odes20]

Hi weekendfisher,

My transom was soft also and to have a look at the problem, I took off the aluminium capping and cut the 2 inch strip of fibreglass running along the top (after taking motor off).

I discovered the transom was not just "soft" but literally wet sawdust. If not for the strength of the inner and outer skin, the motor would have dropped off long ago.

Because it was easy to get out, I dug out the soft wet wood and was left with the cavity between the inner and outer skin. I made a template from the back of the boat, shaped the new ply and sealed it with woodpreserver. Next weekend, I got the family around and we mixed up quite a bit of epoxy glue and smeared it all over new transom and spread it around inside cavity. (You've got to work quick) We then just slid the new piece in and the whole thing went off rock hard.

New holes were drilled and all sealed with woodpreserver numerous times. Plenty of marine sikaflex was used to seal all bolts etc.

Its now the strongest part of the boat and best part was we did it ourselves. No fibreglass was removed (except that top strip) so no itching.

Hope your project goes well, whichever method you end up using.

Thats only easy to do if the whole and I mean whole transom is rotted to soft wood. Many transoms are rotted partially and this idea will never work for them as its real work to get all the intact wood out by that method.

The easist transom to repair is a fully rotted one. If your lucky.

Cheers
John

[Sea-Dog]

Only take on the job if you have a separate empty shed as everything in the shed will be covered in fibreglass dust that just doesn't dissappear. Years later you can be fishing around in the shed for something and your hands will develop the fibreglass itch.

In my opinion it would be nice to be able to do any grinding/sanding underwater to prevent dust!! Do you have a large swimming pool and scuba gear?

Get a good quality respirator/filter mask, disposable coveralls, lots of rubber gloves, goggles, various clamps including some that can expand instead of squeeze, various cutting/grinding/sanding tools - I prefer air-powered. A wet/dry vacuum cleaner with good filtering is a big help too.

Oh and get brushes, lots of brushes - its not worth trying to clean them, just throw them away at the end of each session.

When it comes time for laying up the new glass - don't be stingy with the resin. So much easier to saturate the glass matting if you use lots of resin.

If you are doing the stringers and floor, you may want to lay the hull on a flat floor, as your trailer may not keep the hull straight.

Consider carefully before you take on the job yourself. If you can afford it, save the grief and pay someone else to do it. (But see their other finished work first)

As Svranjic says, the boat probably won't see the water for a long time if you do it yourself.

[Apollo]

Just an out of the box thought based on the previous two posts (13 & 14) re a fully rotten transom is easier to repair. I agree that if all timber is rotten, it will be realatively easy to repair, so what if you accelerate the rotting in any unrotten parts to aid the removal of the timber and thus make the end repair easier? There are products around that can be used to accelerate the breakdown of timber. Yes it won't be an overnight job, but will it take any longer than doing a fully skin off replacement?

Just a weird thought!

Steve

[Noelm]

having just been through a home floor replacement job, I will tell you what I have learned, first off it is not hard to do, even for a person with average skills, BUT, it is tricky, itchy, expensive time consuming work (hence the price by professionals) I had quotes of around 3 grand to replace my floor, all up materials would have cost around a grand, but after I had finished, I would have gladly paid a pro to do the job, it would have been done in a few days, instead of weeks like I took! would I do it again, probably not, I would pay a "man" to do it and not begrudge him 1 cent of his charges!