Fiberglass work

[Joker2]

I am about to cut the outer skin about 3" in from the outside edge of the Transom alll around on my 75' V20 so I san repair stringers and replace wood. My question is, what is the proper way to join the piece of skin back to the new wood? How do I join the glass at the joint where I cut it?
not sure if I just lay up glass over the seem then feather it out. Maybe not even put the skin back and just do all new glass over the wood? don,t want to screw it up or do more work than I have to. Any suggestions? Thanks

[Joker2]

Well it's no turning back, I broke out the saws ! Here are some pics of what I did Today, found out that I need some stringer repair ( suspected that ) the wood was like dirt. I am not quite sure how I am going to put the bilge area back together ? Any thoughts ?

[macojoe]

after you get all your new wood in just glass the akin right back on to the wood, then then glass the seam over till you get the right height and sand, gelcoat and you good to go.

The hard part is keeping the curved shape of the transom when redoing the transom.

[macojoe]

I ould have left the inside skin to follow the curve, then when transom was done cut out the inside and made new knee board and glassed them to the new transom and stringers then just glased the inside skin back on.

you are right there is no turning back now!!

[Skools Out]

you shouldn't have cut the inside out just the outer skin, you have a real challenge now good luck hope you are super good with glass and rebuilding structure. the stringers will be find as long as the glass it solid. the new boats don't have anything in the stringers just hallow glass. the wood was just a form per say when it comes to stringers as long as the original glass is good and strong.

[nymack66]

My friend you are on your way for sure, and I agree with the guys you good with a saw! Now be as good with the resin!
Remember you must build the inside skin first , use a angle grinder and grind all mating edges at an angle also grind off all gel coat or paint as much as six inches if you can exposing the fresh resin or mat you then use new mat and resin and build it out in layers at lease two if you can on the inside (area where you will pour ) wet out the inside skin using a small roller covering the entire area then insert huge pieces of mat covering and overlapping the seam or cut in this case. Basically you are adding strength to the skin. I remove my outer skin see my posts. It must me noted base on the some of the warnings on this site I figured I will yes over strengthening both skins and I did.
I use close to four gallons of resin and six to nine yards of mat in mine I can assured you that skin was four times stronger when I was done with it.
At the same time i lowered the drain hole on mine.
See the photo below my skin was as thin as paper with holes after cleaning


Skin back on

Ready for Gel Coat

[Skools Out]

wow you for sure do not want 4 gallons of resin in your transom way to much weight, at most 1 to 1.5 gallons. 1 1/2 oz chop mat is the heaviest you need for glass. to much weight will cause you issues later down the road. i didn't use 4 gallons on the entire 21 ft project boat i rebuilt and that's with transom and floors.

[nymack66]

Hence my new battery hatch location up by the cuddy!
I know sounds like a lot but it just keep soaking it up !
My point is don't skip or cheat with resin...Lay it up !

[Blue_Runner]

use a angle grinder and grind all mating edges at an angle also grind off all gel coat or paint as much as six inches if you can exposing the fresh resin or mat

These guys will tell you I'm not in the glass business....but I had a '73 V20 transom replaced by a glass shop once. He went from the back just as you did but instead of cutting, he ground it down with the grinder all the way through to remove the skin. Similar to wht Nymack is referring to.

I went to the shop just after he took off the skin and he was solid white with glass and gelcoat dust. I'll just stick to boating/fishing.