Couple Transom Rebuild Questions

[Marcel4t]

I have seen some people cut their transom flush with the hull, and some leave some of the transom skin, like an couple imches.  For those who leave the skin, any reason?  And wouldn't that make it more difficult to get the inside flush, as you have to build it up first within the current out and then start layers for transom.
Also, my plan is to use 2 sheets of 3/4 Coosa doubled up, and use vinal ester resin.  I need to make fillets correct?  It's hard to see in some builds but it doesn't look like everyone uses fillets.
Also, how do people secure the melamine to the back? What do they anchor it too?
Thanks

[RickK]

Search for some of dirtwheelsfl rebuilds.  That will explain a lot.  Also Hawgleg. In hawglegs it's important to see what he did with the drain hole with pvc.
Fillets are used to round out corners to make bonding easier. Cloth doesn't like square corners. Don't forget to round the edges of the coosa so it'll sit in the fillets better.

[mshugg]

You definitely want to use fillets.  Otherwise, you will get air bubbles and voids in the corners that will weaken the structural connection between transom and hull.  The fillets don’t need to be huge, because the 1708 conforms better to inside bends than outside.  About 1/2” radius is sufficient.  That’s probably why your not seeing it in the photos.

[Fish Head]

I went from the outside in and left a 3 inch flange to tab too. Worked out pretty well. Afraid to cut it all out and maybe watch it oil can. Actually the wall thickness was thicker on the inner wall of the transom than the outer wall. Removed the cap for the installation and the pre-assembled(before they set) 1/2inch marine ply-1704-1/2inch-1704-1/2inch slid right on in with a couple hits from a rubber mallet. All inside corners were filleted and spread a lot of epoxy mixed with chopped strand for it to bed into. I re-used a full aluminum transom plate that was on the boat to bolt and sandwich everything together while it set.6 layers of 1704 to finish it off. Transom is solid as a rock. I figured if I am going through all this trouble I will spend some more dough for epoxy.

[marco]

Marcel4t
I'm probably too late with my response to your post. But for WIW I did the transom on my 73 19'6" and cut it out pretty much exactly as Fish Head did.
I saved the outside skin and after cleaning all the old wood out I cut a piece of 3/4 plywood that went across the outside of the transom. Screwed the old skin to the plywood and screwed the plywood to the transom. I then filled the transom with Seacast. After everything setup I took the plywood off and feathered the seam back approx 3 inches on both sides of the cut line and glassed it back in. As well as glassing a new cap on the transom.  Sanded it all back in, got it looking real nice and the sprayed it with gelcoat. After much sanding to the gelcoat to 1600 grit I went to the buffer. It couldn't have come out any better, it's rock solid and no more worries about wet plywood. I did the rebuild in Jan, Feb 2008 and it's just as good as the day it was finished.
Hope the info helps and I hope yours came, or comes out well.

[Marcel4t]

Thanks Marco for taking time to reply!  I have completed my transom install, I saved the outter skin and then used Coosa for core.  I still gotta glass inside skin and put on some knees.  Good times!
Here are vids of how I did the transom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N62XiM59IQg&t=23s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtbqUFsE4XY&t=55s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PLI_8gfjTE&t=85s

[Woodeneye]

Marcel4t
I'm probably too late with my response to your post. But for WIW I did the transom on my 73 19'6" and cut it out pretty much exactly as Fish Head did.
I saved the outside skin and after cleaning all the old wood out I cut a piece of 3/4 plywood that went across the outside of the transom. Screwed the old skin to the plywood and screwed the plywood to the transom. I then filled the transom with Seacast. After everything setup I took the plywood off and feathered the seam back approx 3 inches on both sides of the cut line and glassed it back in. As well as glassing a new cap on the transom.  Sanded it all back in, got it looking real nice and the sprayed it with gelcoat. After much sanding to the gelcoat to 1600 grit I went to the buffer. It couldn't have come out any better, it's rock solid and no more worries about wet plywood. I did the rebuild in Jan, Feb 2008 and it's just as good as the day it was finished.
Hope the info helps and I hope yours came, or comes out well.

Just a brilliant way of doing it IMHO. Well done and thanks for sharing.