# Transom repair on old boat



## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

<SPAN style="WIDOWS: 2; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; FONT: 16px 'Times New Roman'; WHITE-SPACE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" class=Apple-style-span><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(31,80,128); FONT-SIZE: 13px" class=Apple-style-span>Here is a pic of my little junker. The transom is rotten where someone had a gas line going through the transom and all the only thing lining the hull was a piece of loose pvc pipe. Needless to say its rotten in about an 8 inch radius all the way around the hull. I filled the hole with spray foam, put a patch over it and siliconed it to prevent further intrustion. I bolted some 3/16 inch steel to it on both sides for reinforcement, but this is just a temporary fix. 

<SPAN style="WIDOWS: 2; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; TEXT-INDENT: 0px; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate; FONT: 16px 'Times New Roman'; WHITE-SPACE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; LETTER-SPACING: normal; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); WORD-SPACING: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px" class=Apple-style-span><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; WHITE-SPACE: pre-wrap; COLOR: rgb(31,80,128); FONT-SIZE: 13px" class=Apple-style-span>I am wondering if its worth the expense and trouble to rebuild it, considering the age of this boat is 1978. I have no idea where to even start on cutting it out, putting in a new piece and fastening it correctly to the hull. Here is a picture <BR class=Apple-interchange-newline>


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## biggamefishr (Oct 26, 2007)

with all due honesty...its probably not worth it. but you have to look at it this way...you put 400-500 into it....thats still cheaper than say a new 16' carolina skiff (1200 or so for the hull). if you want to upgrade a little now is the time, but if your happy with what you have then get the transom fixed


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

I thought about just finding someone on here to cut me a piece of steel to the shape of the transom and just sandwich it between to larger pieces. ( The small piece in the pic was all they had at lowes on a sunday afternoon when I was doing this )


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## pb&jellyfish (May 1, 2008)

That looks like a simple boat, so it probably would be relatively easy to rebuild the transom. I wouldn't consider it junk by any means if that is the only thing wrong with it. A few hundred bucks would get you the materials to rebuild it the right way, which would be sawing it out, building a new one and glassing it in.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

well the 35hp motor works, and other than the transom and some floor issues, its in pretty good shape. Its only 14 ft, has a kind of tri hull design so it can handle a little chop, at least better than a flat, and it gets me on the water as long as the water is pretty calm


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## Fish Happens (Oct 21, 2007)

Call Craig at Custom Craft Fiberglass 850-712-1727



He will be honest with you and shoot you straight. Been doing fiberglass work for almost 30 years.



Your transom looks like a realistic easy fix. Shouldn't be much trouble. But like was stated earlier, if your looking to upgrade sometime soon, now is the time. Other than that, replacing it correctly is your best option.



I wouldn't put any steel on it because it will weight too much.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

Well I do plan on getting a 20ft Dual Console SOMETIME, but Im still waiting on my HOUSE to sell to buy one. But even when I get a "real" boat, I probably will keep this one because its cheap to operate and floats in a puddle


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## pb&jellyfish (May 1, 2008)

If you want to salvage the boat, plan on doing the work yourself. I think paying for labor would kill the project. This would be a perfect boat to practice your glass work if you don't already know how. You could do the thing in a weekend if you are ambitious.


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## angus_cow_doctor (Apr 13, 2009)

Maybe you could cut out a pattern of the transom on cardboard, take that to the nearest machine shop with (1/2 inch) aluminum plate, and get them to cut out that template. Then you could mount it flush with the existing transom (minus motor, etc) Then you would need to cut/drill holes for mounting of motor, etc. You could easily bolt it up to the transom with some stainless steel, and it would distribute the weight pretty well. Not heavy, and no rusting..

Similar to what they did to my boat, just without the welding. Should hold up to that 35 hp fine.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

I was thinking about that, just wasnt sure if aluminum would be strong enough/stiff enough, but I guess if its 1/2 inch on both sides... would be strong enough. The inside would need to be two pieces because of the lip/shelf that covers the battery box.


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## angus_cow_doctor (Apr 13, 2009)

for that 35 hp, I bet you could get away with one big piece on exterior and one small piece on interior (just big enough for motor mount).

There is not that much stress on a transom until you get into the big motors.


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## angus_cow_doctor (Apr 13, 2009)

I should also make a post out of my jerry-rigged manual trim on my motor so everyone can see it. I bet other people would like to do the same thing, huh? I will take some pics tonight if I can remember.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

yeah that was awesome. I was thinking just now... you could probably make that out of aluminum and it wouldnt rust like the one you have now!


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## angus_cow_doctor (Apr 13, 2009)

Yeah. Only thing is that it takes a beating when motor is in gear. Maybe get someone to weld it with stainless? Still would need stainless rod to go across for the support, could be hard to find solid rod. I will post pics on another topic. See what everyone says.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

Where it takes the beating, put a piece of tire rubber


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## Patriot (Jun 4, 2009)

This repair is pretty simple. Cutting out rotted wood, grinding,sister in new wood and glass everything in. Call me at (850) 261-4312 or bring the boat by my boatyard and I can take a look at it. Around $500 job. Pelican's Perch Boatyard on Bayou Chico.

Tom Kennedy

www.patriotyachtservices.com


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## KPTN (May 21, 2009)

That's a $100 job if you do it yourself, but it is probably the nastiest $100 job you will every do as it will itchfor days. Fiberglass is pretty easy to work with (if you mess it up grind it off and do it again) and this job does not require perfection - it just needs to be well sealed and solid.

Leave the glass on the outside alone- cut the fiberglass around the inside edge and pry the wood off, it's probably plywood and will come off in layers. It will leave some of the wood stuck to the glass so grind that down (grind all of it even if the wood comes off clean) to clean fiberglass so evrything bonds well. Put your replacement wood up the outside of the transom and draw the pattern to cut out and trim it to fit - you can mix resin with saw dust and make a cheap beading compund to bed it in or just fit it tight and be sure you get plenty of glass where it joins the the boat. Glass it to the transom then glass the outside making sure you wet the glass and the wood well. Be sure you get all the edges and seal any holes you drill with resin.

KP


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

> *Patriot Yacht Services (7/16/2009)*This repair is pretty simple. Cutting out rotted wood, grinding,sister in new wood and glass everything in. Call me at (850) 261-4312 or bring the boat by my boatyard and I can take a look at it. Around $500 job. Pelican's Perch Boatyard on Bayou Chico.
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Its not worth $500 to me to invest in this old clunker.


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

> *KPTN (7/17/2009)*That's a $100 job if you do it yourself, but it is probably the nastiest $100 job you will every do as it will itchfor days. Fiberglass is pretty easy to work with (if you mess it up grind it off and do it again) and this job does not require perfection - it just needs to be well sealed and solid.
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Thats what I figured, but Im a do it yourself kind of person and not afraid of getting dirty. Everything I know how to do, I learned by doing it myself, but definitely appreciate any tips and pointers on what to buy, where to buy it, and technique. 



Im wondering how the transom plywood connects to the sides of the boat, or does it, since Ive never seen a hull or transom dissected. Doesnt seem like some layers of fiberglass would be strong enough to hold an engine weight and push the boat forward. Im sure I can cut out a piece of plywood, cut in a new piece , and fiberglass it, but how does that new piece of plywood become an integral part of the rest of the boat?


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## KPTN (May 21, 2009)

You could make a good visual inspection of how the transom is joined before tearing it out, just as a guide because it may not have been done right the first time.This will give you an idea



He uses epoxy resin in this video but if your boat is not already glassed with epoxy resin, and it is probably not, you can use polyester resin and it is cheaper and easier (in my opinion) to work with and it is plenty string for this job. You should be able to replace that with 1/2 sheet of good plywood (you want to double just to make it solid), one gallon of resin should get it done and probably 5 yards of fiberglass material. I like the 1708 mat becasue it is super strong but has an outside chop strand that does not show the weave pattern when done. You can get all that stuff, except the plywood here http://www.fiberglasssite.comand they will ship it to your door. you can probably aquire it locally just be sure to use a layup resin so you don't have to sand between layers.

When i replaced mine i bedded it into some stuff called Nida-bond but you can only buy that stuff in 5 gal cans and its 150 bucks. You can fill the gap between the new transom and the boat sides and bottom with the sawdust/resin mixture before you put the final layer of glass over the whole transom and let your cloth overlap on the boat sides and bottom for strength. Be sure anywhere you will glass is down to clean glass and either grind or sand the face for good adhesion.

Good luck.

KP


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

Thanks man that was a big help!


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

Just watched the video. I understand how he built up the new transom, 4 layers glued together, then he used some fiberglass to overlap onto the boat hull. I dont understand yet how that transom is attached to the hull. I'll do some more research


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## angus_cow_doctor (Apr 13, 2009)

They usually tie it in on the stringers. 

You can do the same thing (basically) by cutting some triangular pieces of plywood to fit into the corners of the transom, then coat them with resin and stick down some fiberglass mat, making sure to extend the pieces of mat at least 10-12 inches onto the transom and onto the hull of the boat. That ties it all together. 

Best to do it when putting the mat onto the inside of transom so it all dries together.


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## Mary Poppins123 (Sep 3, 2017)

Limbo is the man to call , 850 723 2473


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