Transom?'s

[cfelton]

Hey 71maco, Ive gotta 77 V cutty I/O and replaced the transom on it last year. I removed the engine, inner transom plate and gimble completely.I removed both saddle tanks and any wiring in the way. I then cut the inside skin off the transom, and cut out about 10-12 in.off the floor under the transom cap that wouldnt be seen when repaired. I ground ALL the wood and hand laid glass out clean to the inside of the outer skin. I washed it all down with asetone, and laid layers and layers of resin and glass back in, making it totaly flat across the inside. The transom was made of three pieces of 3\4in plywood, so I bought 2 sheets of marine grade ply (86.00 a piece) , cut 3 templates. I cut the plywood and glassed it back in using all the existing screw holes in the transom to put ss screws through a 1in block of scrap wood to pull the wood up tight to the outer skin. I used 8 clamps in the outdrive hole. After it set i cut and applied another piece of ply to the center to give me 2inches total thickness for the gimble. I glassed it all in really good and gelcoated it over. Try ad avoid all air pockets and bubbles . Its messy but not that hard . Its solid as a rock. If it lasts 30 years again I wont have to worry about it! *Oh forgot to tell ya to make sure if ya have a I/O to glass the inside of the outdrive hole , Thats why mine rotted in the first place! It took about 10 gallons of resin and a pile of mat!