Transom replacement
 

OK, I started digging out the old wood in the transom with a chainsaw. I noticed the transom looks like it has a slight curve to it in the middle. I think the curve is a design element and not from fatigue, I could be wrong. However it looks as though Wellcraft made these transoms in three pieces with an epoxy seem joining the three pieces together. Question 1, Does this sound right to you guys? Question 2, Am I right that these boats have a slight curve to the transom?

Re: Transom replacement
 

Right on, there is a curve. Not sure on the 3-piece wood.

Re: Transom replacement
 

How do I deal with the curve?

Re: Transom replacement
 

hey look at the pics of my transom in this page.

they are curved and have 3 layers yes but can cut it out and put in 1 piece of 2" 10 layer thick plywood

http://www.wellcraftv20.com/cgi-bin/...num=1128047135

Re: Transom replacement
 

Curved transoms sound like a good arguement for POURING a new core... ;) ;D...

Re: Transom replacement
 

more transom pictures of what i patched the outter areas with and then poured the resin for filling wooden transoms.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...llcraft029.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...llcraft028.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...llcraft027.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...llcraft026.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...llcraft025.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...llcraft024.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...llcraft023.jpg

ht[img]tp://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/Skools_Out/WellCraft/78Wellcraft021.jpg[/img]

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...llcraft022.jpg

Re: Transom replacement
 

Those pieces of wood i run the air grinder on them to rough it up with 24 grit and so it would soak up resin. they are 20" long and 4 to 5" wide. filled the transom with resin then drove the 1/4 thick wood in with a leather hammer. then let it sit over night it had soaked up all the resin so i filled it again today then left it for the night. i mixed the resin so it would take 2 to 3 days to set up. give it longer to soak into the wood to make the transom solid.

Re: Transom replacement
 

Skool, settle this myth right now for me:

Will treated marine plywood not bond to resin? I've heard that treated would not, but thought I'd ask for future ref.

Re: Transom replacement
 

no the 2 chemicals don't bond, the treatment for treated wood releases fumes as it dries and the resin breaks it's bond. So nope don't use treated wood in a boat.

Re: Transom replacement
 

What about the holes drilled along the top?...how deep and what purpose?...foolish minds wanna know... ::)...

Re: Transom replacement
 

i first drilled 1/2 holes in the transom in an angle. center hole straight in and the out side from there are drilled towards the center. i did that so i could check for any rot or moisture. Only found wet in the mid area but new wood. they are all drilled 22" deep. found some soft areas on the sides so i cut out the soft area with the chain saw then filled with resin then drove in the wood. *plus the holes in the middle will let the resin soak the entire transom with resin so it will make it all solid and water proof. A boat builder told me to do that and it would make the transom stronger for my twins too.

Re: Transom replacement
 

OK, got it... :)...

Re: Transom replacement
 

here's some pictures of the finished transom of the currently project better known as Project No. 1

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...aco21_041S.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...aco21_037S.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...aco21_036S.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...aco21_035S.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...aco21_034S.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...aco21_039S.jpg

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...aco21_004S.jpg

That redish stuff isn't bondo if you wondered. It' expoy with filler putty for fairing out work. that use to look kind of like the one above i am doing in the wellcraft. Has 6 layers of glass in that cap that starts small and works out larger each time.

Re: Transom replacement
 

several items that you least expect that works really great glassing and fairing work.

Sheet Rock Seam Tape forunder your first layer of glass to give a rough area to stick well.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46...r/Glass002.jpg


Kitty Hair is avail. from Boat shops or just use the same thing from you local auto parts shop cheaper known as Bondo Hair. great filler and fairing filler.
[img]
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/Skools_Out/other/Glass001.jpg[/img]

Re: Transom replacement
 

want to ask you when you took off the molding that goes over the transom what did you find was it finished in fiberglass or was the wood exposed

Re: Transom replacement
 

exposed wood that's why i finished that last set of pictures on that tansom with solid glass cap and going to do the same to the wellcrafts transom make it a solid top transom with no metal trim on either of them.

Re: Transom replacement
 

thanx but isnt it a stupid desigh why would they not finish off the top so water stays out
very stupid if you ask me

Re: Transom replacement
 

Time=$$$ It takes a lot of man hrs to finish off the transom cap and that costs the manufacturers lots of money. By the time anyone experiences any transom related problems, it's generally long out of warranty. :-/

Re: Transom replacement
 

that's right CB best to buy a new boat with out the transom covered with metal buy a higher end boat that has already capped the transom. tells who builds a truely nice boat and who just builds a boat to make a profit.

Re: Transom replacement
 

Those alum. transom caps REALLY look like warmed-over puppy-poop ::)...