Transom work

[Sergdm86]

Hello guys, i have 86 aquasport 250 xf, looking to tackle the transom but im lost. I want to know were to start. Do i start cutting the outter layer from the inside transom part of the boat or do i cut from outside of the transom. Then once i start that how do i repair the inside part of the glass since it could be unreachable? Also does anyone know how this transom is built on my boat? Been looking, but found no luck... thank you

[mshugg]

If you review some of the rebuilds, you can get a lot of ideas for transom replacement.  You ask about recoreing from the inside and recoreing from the outside.  There are advantages and disadvantages to each approach.

If you are recoreing from the inside.  You are preserving the outside skin of the transom which is thicker and stronger than the inside skin.  On my CCP, the outside skin was about 3/16” thick. The inside skin was barely 1/16”   You will need to cut away some of the liner, cockpit sole and about 18” of the stringers.  All this will need to be tabbed in, faired and painted or gel coated later.  The good news is that with this area open, you’ll be able to inspect your stringers and sole. 

If you core from the outside, you’re removing the strongest transom glass, and you’ll have to take steps to tab the transom glass into the hull sides.  Again, fairing and paint or gel are required.

A third option is to cut into the transom from above, remove all the old core, and use a Pour in place composite transom.  Less finish work, but the idea of useing a chainsaw to dig out old transom core seems to be risky to me.

You’ll find examples of each in the rebuild and repairs section.  I think Genmar took over Aquasport in 1989, so your 86 should be much like any of the late seventies and eighties production boats.  I also believe that the transoms were similar on the CCPs and Express Fishermen in a given size.  The Aqua-pros May be able to add more info here. 

[RickK]

^^ What he said ^^

[Capt. Bob]

I also believe that the transoms were similar on the CCPs and Express Fishermen in a given size. 

Yep, your Hialeah hull transom is all wood. Both the CCP and XF share the same hull just with different caps. As stated above, depending on your splash well/stern layout some removal of the cap is required.

Not your year or manufacturer but shows the inside out technique of transom replacement.
https://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=3481.0

Again not your model but illustrates the outside skin removal and describes the poured technique.
https://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=7277.0

https://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=4670.0

Poured transom
https://classicaquasport.com/smf/index.php?topic=9017.msg66725#msg66725

You Tube vid.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLF0V2Wfs3I


Good luck.

[Sergdm86]

Thank you so much everyone!

[Sergdm86]

Ok guys, i've been watching several videos, and i came across this coosa blue water 26 board. I would like to know your opinions on this. I know its more expensive than plywood, but does not absorb water like plywood does and is much lighter also. Since the Aquasport is 12'' from the water line, I would like to raise the transom, but also means that i have to move the engine out/back 27''. Has anyone done this type of job with coosa board? If so satisfied with the outcome?

[mshugg]

The Coosa 26 is great for transoms.  Light and strong in compression.  I used Carbon Core 28, basically the same thing as Coosa.  The only trick is to make sure you hot coat the Coosa to get good adhesion when you add your glass.

Lots of the rebuilds do what you describe, building up the transom and going with a bracket to locate motor behind the transom.  The two most common approaches use either an Armstrong type bracket or a porta-bracket.  There are pros and cons to each.  A couple of rebuilders have even tackled building their own bracket.

[Sergdm86]

Thanks Mshugg, what do you mean by hot coat the coosa? Also, could extension pod be made out of stainless steel? Anyone know? I haven't found any videos on the stainless steel!!

[mshugg]

To hot coat the Coosa, just roll a thick coat of catelyized resin onto the surface of the Coosa.  Then you add your laminations  between the time it gets tacky and fully cured.  Otherwise the laminations can get a little resin starved and weaken the bond of skins to Coosa.

I don’t know of anyone making brackets out of stainless.  Even stainless marine uses aluminum.