Transom time for my CCP

[damnitbadger]

Took the boat out yesterday and idling out I rolled on a little more throttle and looked back and noticed movement on the transom. I went back for a look and sure enough, the transom was vibrating fore and aft about an inch or so total movement. Got back home later and looked straight line, port to starboard along the top of the transom and it's bowed at the motor. The stainless strip across the top now has a bend in it under the motor. Bummer.
So, I'm thinking about replacing from the outside or maybe even enclosing altogether. Anyone got any pictures of a CCP enclosed with a bracket? Any thoughts on performance increase? What about V shaping the motor cutout to help keep water out?

[RickK]

I went back for a look and sure enough, the transom was vibrating fore and aft about an inch or so total movement.

Man, that's a bummer.  I guess you're lucky the motor stayed on the boat? My luck.......

[damnitbadger]

Found this from a previous post.


Since your adding length to the boat you should also be able to increase the HP rating. How would you go about this? Anybody got a line on a single O/B bracket? That Merc 250XS is looking good!

[rsh19904]

damnitbadger,

was gonna show that to you..I found in on the hull truth from a guy selling it in fl..not sure if its still there but may be worth trying to contact him because it looks awesome on the ccp's  

price may be a bit of a    though    

[damnitbadger]

Well, I guess I backed my way into a corner and will be installing a full transom with a single bracket. Man, I hate the way I can take a simple repair and turn it into a full blown project. I got 4 gallons of epoxy, 1708, 3:1 pump and 1.5 cloth will be here tomorrow. I met the truck from Advance plastics yesterday and picked up a full sheet of "Bluewater 26" Coosa board. I have not decided on a bracket yet but have talked to Don @ D&D about a custom built single tub 24" wide (instead of 18" standard) with a 6' swim platform and a kicker mount built in. His lead time is 2 weeks+. I will wait till the transom is in and just about complete so I can get a spot on measurement of the angle. Bobby over at CM recommended the wider tub although he recommended a 30" That would be an additional 200.00 to the cost of the bracket and money is tight, so I'm hoping the extra 6" will give me the additional flotation at rest for the decks to self bail once I get a 250 hung out back. Guess I will have to put off the new motor till next year. These additions to the CCP are coming from the motor fund. But I think It will be a much better handling boat and the extra room will help when fishing. Not to mention offshore the followers will stay where they belong. I will post pictures as the project progresses.
Badger

[damnitbadger]

Well I got the hardware removed from the transom today and pulled the top cap. I also took out the rear deck over the bilge because i will be raising it about an inch it was also saturated. All the transom ply was saturated and delaminated at the top. I feel sure the lower I go the worse it will get. Nearest I can figure the the minor deformation of the transom the angle appears to be right at 13 degrees. I had planned on replacing from the outside but I'm having second thoughts. I am not at all impressed with the inner skin thickness on the transom. Looks like one maybe two layers of cloth at best (1/16th). If I replace from the outside The 1.5" Coosa will have to go in in pieces (3) and I worry about strength even with epoxy resin. also from the outside I think reusing the outer skin would be weaker than just building 4 or 5 layers of 1708.  If I go from the inside and pop the caps I can get the coosa in in one piece and build the inner skin a little thicker. Problem there is now I'm looking at having to paint the entire boat because of the top cap cuts. I will be enclosing the transom and installing a bracket. rear transom height will be just below the rub rail. From what little access I gained into the bilge and stringer area, the foam in the stringers appears to be dry. That's a good thing. The stringer bond to the transom is good with the exception being the thin inner skin as mentioned. Any suggestions or comments? I'm in serious need of input.

[damnitbadger]

I got started yesterday and went in from the inside. Glad I did, the old core was 1-1/4" thick. apiece of 3/4 and a piece of 1/2 ply. I would have been screwed since I already bought 1-1/2 coosa. Not much rot but totally saturated and delaminated.




Now the nasty part of grinding back starts. I ordered the bracket the other day from D&D. Should be ready in a couple of weeks. I can not finish the inside until I pick it up because of the 4" channel will only go in while it's apart. I'm going to build a top cap all the way up and put new rub rail on i guess.
Breaking out the grinder!

[JimCt]

Great description of the project.  There's been a lot of back & forth about whether to re-transom from the inside or outside but in your situation the choice wasn't there.

Any idea where the water intrusion came from?  When you get the transom re-installed pay special attention to the garboard drain thru-hull.  Usually the piece put in is brass tube which is flared on both ends which is fine... but be sure to really butter it up well with 5200 so it forms a solid seal.

Projects do seem to mushroom a bit out of control sometimes but taken a step at a time and thinking things through, as you have, you'll never have transom worries again.

Keep the pictures and narrative coming!

[damnitbadger]

Thanks Jim, the water intrusion came from several sources. the boat was originally rigged with twin Suzuki's (hence the two large holes inboard of both stringers) and when the single merc was installed none of the original mounting holes were sealed well at all. Also when the trim tabs were installed whoever did it just drilled holes and scewed in the screws, no sealer at all. The garboard plug was below the core, one screw for it was in the core. I am going to relace in kind but will build up the area with a little more glass.
I don't know what I was thinking even considering going in from the outside. The benefits of replacing from the inside far outweigh any time saved. For example, the core will remain in one piece and will be much stronger, I can reinforce the interior if it's deficient (as mine is), the original hull shape and integrity remains intact and I now know the shape and condition of my stringers aft.

By the way, I love the 22-2 inboard! NICE find.

[JimCt]

Like you said, you can really beef-up the transom structure from the inside.  Re-painting is the downside but now you can change colors now if you want.  Personally, I've always felt the newer paints yield a far superior finish than gelcoat.  No chalking and considerably more damage resistant.

[jdupree]

Wow :!:   You are sure moving fast.  When do you hope to have her done?

[damnitbadger]

Hopefully within 2 weeks. The bracket will be here then and I hope it all goes back together smoothly. I got the core material cut today and did a dry fit with the clamping 2x4's in place. Pulled it all apart again and just got through putting a sealer coat of epoxy on the coosa board and the transom. Tomorrow I will put a layer of 1708 on the transom with a generous helping of epoxy, a cabisol mixture in the corners to get rid of any voids and bolt it all back together to cure for a day. Might rain though, hope not.

[damnitbadger]

Got started this morning, started by regrinding everything with a 40 grit flapper wheel. I mixed up a batch of cabosil (thick as peanut butter) and laid a thick bead into the corners and on the inside of the holes in the transom (yesterday I put 4oz cloth on the exterior of the holes), working as fast as I could I then rolled the transom with epoxy and laid a solid piece of 1708 that I cut out last night into place and wet it out very well then rolled out the bubbles, then pre-placed the composite on the stringers and rolled it with epoxy. Set the composite into place squishing the cabosil out leaving no voids. At this point I installed my clamping bolts and 2x4's and tightened them all up. Then I put in a piece of 1708 where the transom cutout was so when I place 3 more layers it should be level for fairing.
 

I put two coats of epoxy on the composite board where it meets the stringers. won't be able to get in there now very well..


Looks like it may rain soon, glad it held off so I could get to a stopping point. I'm going to let it cure for a couple of days before I put 1708 on the inside of the transom and tie in the stringers and the sides of the hull. Still have to put a bit more cabosil mixture into the edges to make a proper fillet in the corners.
i've worked with polyester resin in the past but this is the first time I have worked with epoxy on this scale. Don't think I like the poly any longer. It's only 70 here today but the epoxy does not seem to kick nearly as fast as the poly does. My working times were fine, the medium epoxy was setting up about 15 minutes after I finished. I used U.S. Composites as a supplier. I would like to thank Bobby over at CM for pointing in the right direction with the Coosa board and bracket. I think it was far and away the best way to go. Still have a lot more to do though.

[JimCt]

Looks good badger!  What mix are you going to use for fairing material?

[RickK]

Coming along quickly B - looking good.