New V transom rebuild thread

[SammyDog]

Popped the broken metal transom cap off this weekend, found things to be about what i thought. Transom is complete mulch, working on clearing it out right now. Ive got a little grinding to do still to open up the port and starboard tops, but my plan is to get all the wood out of there, dry it out, and do a pourable transom in 3 steps, glassing in each level as i go up... Its the only way i can think of to get the whole top done. Anyone have any expirience? im flying a little blind here just doing some research and tearing stuff out. Would love to here about your experience with other transom jobs/products.. I saw some threads on here, curious how guys like them after putting a few years on them.

[3 Squids]

I believe SkunkBoat did exactly this and has videos of it being done. I'm sure he will check in and will have a ton of info for you.

[tsubaki]

Electric chain saw without using oil, paddle bits, homemade chisels, Shop Vac, etc.

Mine starting on page 6.
http://www.wellcraftv20.com/community/showthread.php?t=2808&page=6

[SammyDog]

Had been working on this with auger bits, a few improvised tools, and a really long pair of needle nose pliers. Yesterday broke out the chainsaw... Man that is going to save alot of time, i took out a good 6 inches of wood in there in 20-30 minutes. Had to stop bc the blade was getting bogged down in the wet wood. Realized i never plugged up my scuppers on the deck, so some rain water was flowing into the transom (how the boat rotted in the first place). Plugged them up, hopefully will have the chance to dry today so i can get more out later on.

[SammyDog]

progress

[SkunkBoat]

CHAIN SAW!!!!


My Youtube videos. Also search the tags here for transom.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEz94NbKCh0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_ZmPOUCNc

[SammyDog]

skunk.... love the videos... im doing this leaving the inside skin on(for now anyways). but very informative... Also who made that hardtop can i ask? ive been looking for one i love yours

[SkunkBoat]

You can probably get away with just digging out as far as you can in all directions. Try really hard to sand both skins.

I wanted to be confident in the bond between the core and skins so i removed the inside to get access. The real strength comes from the bond of the "sandwich".

I would probably try making the cut only inside the motorwell. Might not be able to get the piece out though. Maybe just remove the motorwell and one side, if you follow what I'm saying.

Top came from Shore Towers in Brick,NJ many years ago. Top is a 1" hex-core sandwiched between 1/8" glass. Don't think he's doing it anymore. Had him make a repair and add some rod holders a few years back.

Atlantic Towers in Bayville,NJ does nice work.

[Destroyer]

Atlantic Towers in Bayville,NJ does nice work.

They also make a semi-DIY kit for Radar arches also. Well constructed.

[SkunkBoat]

oh, regarding hardtop... One mistake with this one was that the windshield is blocked from laying all the way over by one leg of the top. Make it clear that you don't want that!

Are you going to a 25" transom?

Oh...take all the screws out of the transducer/cables and drain tubes before you chain saw !!!!
If you watch the video, notice that the wood is 3 pieces and there is some thin glass between. You will be hitting that with the chainsaw.

[inaforty]

WOW!!
I have never seen those videos.
Great job Skunk!

Heck that was awesome!:clap:

[SammyDog]

appreciate the info on the towers. ill check out Atlantic... i already made the mistake of leaving a ducer in and nailed it with the saw.(that wakes ya up lol) I think i'm going to actually be able to get everything out without cuts to the motor well. the deck drains were never sealed on this boat, along with a dozen other holes that should've had at least some 5200 but it was left to rot... The entirety of the wood is completely shot so its coming out very easy now that im not afraid to stick the saw in there... Another little tip that has helped immensely, i found some very long grill tongs that are about 30 inches long.. bent in the edges a bit, and its been perfect for puling all that crap out of there.. The hard part will be the sanding and prepping prepour i feel like, but ill get there. plan is to sand the inside, treat with acetone, and paint it with the fiberglass stuff to get a good bond.

As for the 25' transom... im not sure yet.. i was actually toying with knocking the sides down and making the whole center a 20" transom, and putting a jack plate in the middle to accommodate a 25" shaft motor if i needed to. The rationale there is this will primarily be a great lakes salmon boat, with the occassional striper/offshore weekend trip once a year. Salmon trolling is all done around 2mph, so going to a wider 20" transom would allow me to add my 20" shaft kicker.. Only thing im hesitant of is the weight. the poured transom is heavier than wood, and a modern 200hp outboard even a 2 stroke is heavy, adding a kicker i may have issues with her squatting in the water. i may sell the kicker and just buy a yamaha 4 stroke 200hp and troll on that. ive got a few weeks left to make the decison so we'll see. Headed home shortly to continue digging!!!

[SkunkBoat]

given the opportunity, go with 25...IMHO

You are not going to fit a kicker in the cutout in any case.

with 4 strokes you don't need kicker to troll at 2mph. no fouled plugs or blue smoke :nice:

Carbon core weighs the same as marine AB douglas fir plywood

zuki DF140 XL = 405 lbs Mine is just under 2mph at idle rpm in gear, cruise 30 mph @5000, max out ~36mph loaded(I'm always heavy)
150XL =520 lbs
200XL=530 lbs

[SammyDog]

Skunk,

ive watched your videos now about 12 times.. its been raining like crazy here, so im slowed down a little bit. was wondering one thing though. Your blow out came from the stringers, and i assumed they were hollow like mine are. did you end up filling the drain holes on them and just pouring the nidacore so it filled the stringers and transom at once? assuming it filled them up? Not sure if structurally they needed to be filled, i was toying with cutting the tops off mine and filling them to while i was at it. Any info would be appreciated. i've got 85% of the wood out without cutting the backsplash our of it yet s it was incredibly rotted and came out easy. i don't want to cut it if i don't have to, but i may have no choice to get the insides prepped properly.

any insight on the stringers would be appreciated.

[SkunkBoat]

When it was built, the wood of the stringer touched the transom wood and then they glassed it. Then drilled a hole in each stringer to allow drainage across stringer to the center bilge. They did not glass the holes that they drilled so the wood of the stringer rots at the bottom of the transom.

I did not fill the stringer. The pour leaked through the transom & out the hole in the stringer. I just jammed towels and rubber gloves in the holes as it leaked and it cured that way, then I re-drilled the holes in the stringers.

At minimum you should lightly glass over the holes in the stringers before you pour. And ALL holes in transom, inside and out. And anywhere in the interior transom edges that you suspect it might leak.(since you are not reglassing the inner skin, I would suggest one layer of glass along the inside corners as insurance against leaks)

Mix 2 full buckets. Without leaks, 2 buckets of carbon core will fill to the 25" cutout level. Let that harden then glass over the transom and sides. Mix third bucket to fill up both sides.

:head:A thought...even if you are going to use a 20", Build up a dam and pour to the 25" level straight across and later cut out a notch for a 20".
If you are going to use 25", you need to build up some serious skins

As per video, remember that you have to keep the shape of the transom so it doesn't bulge out and harden. especially, make sure the motor mounting area is straight and flat.
Remember that the transom on a V20 is not flat. Look at it. The motor area is flat and the sides angle forward.. It was actually 3 sections of plywood.

It might be tough with the full inner skin in place but I would glass over the holes from the inside. You will drill them out when cured

USE POLYESTER RESIN!

If you have any ideas about using any extra carbon core, have the area ready to pour after filling first and second pours. For instance if you have a small area of deck rotted near a screw hole, cut the top skin, dig out rot, patch bottom, pour extra in there and later glass over top....but you have to be ready because it sets.

Wear gloves. Put cardboard on your driveway.

This scraper from Home Depot worked great for scraping wood from glass

[SammyDog]

serious great advice. thank you...

[SammyDog]

Got alot done this weekend, will post pics later. Pulled a big piece of the back skin off, should save alot of time and make for a cleaner inside to bond the nidacore too. Almost done with the demo and anxious to get her back together again!!

[SammyDog]

piece of outside skin removed for access.