Euro transoms... I dont understand the trend

[kaptainkoz]

Ive been asking around locally trying to get an answer other than a shrug.  Whats the benefit/purpose of the euro transom? I dont get it. From a purely fishing perspective, why would you want to be fishing 3-5 feet from the water? If you are on anchor the current will have you fishing off the stern. I get that its like having a built in swim platform which is fine for pleasure boats, but I dont see the practical fishing application of being that far from the water. It seems every new model in the fishing category is going with a euro transom. Sure, if your a larger sportfisher with a tuna door pulling in tuna it makes sense. For the 18-25 ft category I dont understand it. Can someone explain the benefits?

[seabob4]

It looks cool...to some.  Other than that...

[ceejkay]

I get that its like having a built in swim platform which is fine for pleasure boats

that right there. a lot of people want dual purpose boats with fishing as a primary. also you dont get the wash over the transom when your backing down on a fish or when you come off a plane to quick. lastly it makes a good spot to put a large live well, instead of a 55 gal drum strapped to the back of the boat. thats just my opinion, i could be way wrong though

[saltfly]

I can’t speak for all the different boats being built, that way, but the few that I’ve looked at. Are no different then  boats with a full transom and a bracket. I assume, that the designer, is looking for the same benefits from the Euro transom, that you get with a bracket. I saw some that the bottom ran straight back and  some that had a step. Don’t know which is best. I did talk to one rep. from one of the builders and he said as much. So I guess you could look at it that way.The ones with the step, do give clean water for the prop, having the step sitting the motor back just as far as a bracket would.

[CLM65]

Pretty much all that has been said above.  As you can see in my signature, I have a 205 Osprey with the euro transom.  I am also rebuilding a 22 flatback that will have an enclosed transom with a fairly deep transom cap, along with a small swim platform, so I am going to be about the same distance from the water with either boat.  I think a benefit of the euro transom is appearance, but that is obviously a personal opinion that not everyone shares.  I think you also get a longer running surface compared to an identical length boat with a bracket, which should help with the ride.  I will also say that one of the biggest negatives of the euro transom, at least on the 205, is that it is a real PITA to work on anything in the bilge.  I suppose some boats are designed with better access, but the 205 is built for a young, limber man (which I am not   ).  In the end, it comes down to personal preference.

[MarshMarlowe196]

I think it's a styling that's expected on newer boats.  They all seem to have the Euro transoms now, so your typical first time boat buyer sees a boat without a Euro transom and perceives it as low quality.  Kinda like bow pulpits - you used to see them on every boat, and they served as a nice place to mount a windlass, but you'd be hard pressed to find a bow pulpit on any of the latest models.  As for my boat, my KW makes good use of the Euro transom.  Nice big livewell located in the center of the stern, so no listing issues with a livewell off to one side or the other.  It also provides more substantial area for the removeable jump seats I really like, which most newer boats offer now.  Seems everyone wants a family crossover these days. Once the seats are removed, I have 4 rod holders.  

(not my boat pictured)



The Euro transoms usually have a small molded splashwell which serves its own purpose, but it also helps to hide some of the unsightly rigging (when done properly) with having a rigging boot closer to the motor.  I'm only comparing this to my old 19-6, because the rigging came out of the floor chase cover at the far starboard corner of the stern, and much of it was visible.  I also have some useful port and starboard storage doors, so all in all, the Euro transom serves a purpose at least on my boat.  But, like CLM says, working on things buried down in the bilge from a small splashwell hatch are a real pain in whatever part of your body you managed to squeeze in.



I do sometimes miss the bit of extra open deck space that was available on my 19-6.

[RickK]

Boy that looks like fun ^^^  
I think the trend toward the Euro and full transom came from feeling safer. That's a whole other topic that's been tackled here and other sites..
I'll take my open transom over enclosed or Euro any day - I didn't lose the 3 ft of usable space.


My $.02

[Aswaff400]

i like open transoms, i like closed transoms, i like euro transoms... but i really like an open euro transom!!! just depends on the style of boat....

[seabob4]

Those are Calcutta's, aren't they, Aaron.  My "jury" is still out on the looks of them, and the functionality, and the fact that in snotty conditions, we could be shipping quite a bit of water...granted, it may drain almost as soon as it enters, but wives and kiddies could get a bit nervous.

I know, throw them a few hundred and tell them to go shopping!!!  

[Aswaff400]

yup, calcutta. remember for the wives/kids the transome does fold up, best of 3 worlds! or let them go overboard and keep on truckin LOL

[seabob4]

LOL, forgot about that!  I'm not a cat fan, so I don't pay much attention to them, Glacier Bays, ProKats, whatever...

[wingtime]

i used to wonder why anyone would want a euro transom.  For all the reasons you ask... plus the wasted space etc etc.  Until I bought my Explorer...  now I love it and wouldn't own a boat without one.

[kaptainkoz]

Great responses and point of views everyone, thanks. I definitely get that its better than the old school open transom, and personally for me the answer is to close the cutout and mount a bracket without a swim platform so at least i have a clear shot to the water on either side of the bracket. I see that a euro transom is more of an aesthetic/hybrid feature than some must have performance feature. To each their own. I am not a boater, I am a fisherman. The boat is nothing more than a piece of tackle to get closer to the fish so it's difficult for me to think in any other design mode. They sure are pretty though!

[bondobill]

To each their own. I am not a boater, I am a fisherman. The boat is nothing more than a piece of tackle to get closer to the fish so it's difficult for me to think in any other design mode. They sure are pretty though!

KOZ  
My thoughts exactly. I have never been a fan of the euro.

If I didn't fish I probably wouldn't own a boat.
Toyed with the idea for years of getting a little larger boat in the 24 to 26' range, would like to find something with a few more creature comforts in the cuddy like a head and a place to get out of the weather...for the women   ..

I refuse to put a mortgage back on the house to buy a new boat so that leaves me looking for a boat built prior to the euro era..per 90s I am guessing. Now that leaves me probably looking at boats that are going to need work such as transom, floor, wiring replacement ect ect.

While at my age I ain't going there. Every day working on the boat is one less day I could be fishing.

So I guess I just have to keep running my old girl until that perfect boat...that some one else has rebuilt and put a ton of money in ......comes up for sale  

Bill

[seabob4]

Let's look at an interesting comparison between 2 boats featured very prominently here...Rick's 230 Explorer, and Bruce's 245 Explorer, which evolved from the 230.  As far as I know, the 230 has basically the same cockpit space as Bruce's 245, yet Bruce's LOA is 2' longer (the 245 later became the 250, and it's actual molded length is more like 26').  Same usable space, yet the increased LOA can/does have an impact on insurance rates.

My personal preference is an enclosed transom boat, transom door, walking out to a full width engine bracket.  Fernando's 19-6 has a full width Armstrong that is very easy to manuever on whether fighting a fish or taking a leak, yet his 19-6 still has the full 19 1/2' devoted to the cockpit.  

Yes, I like the look of the Euro-transom (the builder's call it Integrated Swim Platform), and, given a wide enough "ledge" in front of the motors, can be relatively easy to manuever around on.  The Explorers and Ospreys did it well.  Conversely, the same Euro look on the Stamas boats, well, the spaces on the platform were just to small (almost precarious) to be considered useful...so there goes 3' of LOA down the tubes...