New here.......New Transom

[campbell]

Howdy,
New to the site, enjoy it daily.  Im about to rebuild from the hull skin up a 1984 22' Aquasport.  Biggest boat project ive ever done.  Im looking for some input, do's and dont's pros/cons.  The biggest obstacle on my radar right now is that im wanting to pour a full transom.  Ive never done it and could use some insight as to who makes the best materials, and basically how to do it the right way.  Im a ways out yet time wise, as I havent started the demo, but im looking down the road.  So for anyone who has any helpful methodology or anything to add, im all ears.  Doin' it myself like Cash said........"one piece at a time."

[RickK]

Welcome aboard campbell  :!:  :!:
So what model year will the boat be when done (Cash)  

We have a lot of members with experience on the transom rebuilds here and they be along shortly.

[Mad Dog]

Welcome.  Do you have any pics?  You said you want to "pour" a full transom.  Do you have a full transom or are you building up a cut out transom.  I am not a fan of the core & pour method to start.  If you are closing in a transom that means you are going to add a bracket of some sort.  Adding a bracket means new and greater stresses which means you need a core that can stand the stress and you need to tie the transom into the hull even more.  

So, show us what you got and then we can move forward with our comments.  Please feel free to puruse my photobucket gallery to see how I did mine.  Like you I rebuilt or a cash basis.  It takes longer but it is paid for.

MD  

[allen456]

Welcome!!

[campbell]

Appreciate it,

Its a cut transom that I will be filling.  I can not post any pictures yet.  As far as a bracket goes im torn between a porta bracket, 12" bobs jack plate, or having a fixed bracket built.  Im not sure yet, I will cross that bridge later.  The previous owner says he rebuilt the transom but I have not yet cut into it to see what kind of patch he did.  could be wood could be something else.  Lets assume that its wood glassed over.  what kind of material do you place on the inside and outside of the transom for the transom mold?  Assuming I have removed wood at this point.  What about the hardware and through hull fittings, can they be poured over/around?  

-Mad Dog, nice pics. turns out your two hours west of me.

[Mad Dog]

-Mad Dog, nice pics. turns out your two hours west of me.

That must put you somewhere this side of Houston.  I know of several builders/re-builders in that area.  

How does the outer skin look?  Is it original?  If so, do not cut it out.  You will make lots of work for yourself if you do.  To make a mold for the outer skin to close in the area I picked up a sheet of 1/2" lauan.  Not to expensive but had a nice enough finish and was not prone to warping.  I cut is down to a 2" x 7" sheet which was large enough to cover the open are above the cut-out transom (there is a pic showing it bolted up).  I covered the form side with plastic packing tape (yep, it works great) and fastened it to the existing outer skin.  Then I wetted out DB 1708 (17 oz biax w/ 8oz mat attached) onto the mold piece and only slightly overlapping the inside of the existing skin.  Then built it up with more 1708 and 12 oz biax.  The final two layer were full transom pieces which I tied into the sides and bottom of the hull.  That got my outter skin built up.  It takes some filling and fairing after curing and removing the mold.

I should say that I replaced the core with marine ply and built up the inner skin similar to filling the outter skin.  All that is shown in the photogallery.  

Using a "filler" to fix cut out transom and not closing it in may be fine ( I don't like that approach), but doing a full close in I don't see how it work to build a mold and pour in the filler.  It must be heavy, brittle and without much structural integrity.  

MD  

[campbell]

Question for anybody.  Lets say I pour a full transom from one of several methods commonly used.  should the form work used to mold the pour be a material that will or will not come out of the boat after the pour has cured?  If the inside mold piece is gonna stay how do you ensure a good bond between the poured material and the inner mold piece?  Then at the same time typically how far up the inside of the hull and gunnels should the reinforced glass be taken?  How many layers to join the new transom to the inside/outside fo the hull skin and gunnels?  Does anybody have a particular cloth thats been proven for this layup?  same question for tieing the stringers into the transom?  

Now lets talk floatation.  I see alot of guys using some form of tanish colored block foam when rebuilding their stringers, also see guys using the poured expandable foam in their stringers can anybody weigh in on what they like or dont like about foam in filled stringers?

Appreciate it,

[LilRichard]

In my opinion the preformed foam and pour foam accomplish the same thing in stringers, it's just how you want to build them.  If you use preformed foam, it gives you a shape to lay the glass.  If you want to foam fill, you must make the stringers on a form, then tab into the hull and fill with foam.

Make sense?

[campbell]

I agree Rich it prob. comes down to preferance, it seems to me that the block foam has alot of advantages for my application.  Where do you buy this? anybody have a name for it and a supplier?

-KRC

[LilRichard]

I got mine in Florida from FGCI, but they do ship too.  May be cost prohibitive due to shipping cost - but check them out at fgci.com

I used 3lb polyurethane sheet foam.  Since the foam does not provide structural strength, you can use very light density and be fine.  Makes it easier to shape too.

[campbell]

When pouring a transom with say seacast or nidacore's product or exotherm etc.  how do you get the absolute best secondary bond to the inner hull.  Ive red where some of these products reach temperatures that can cause damage to the existing hull skin(s).  yet others say its nearly as good as a primary bond.  Im gonna be removing the inner liner from my existing transom removing all wood/moisture and setting up a false transom inner liner.  What cloth is best for the inner liner, how many layers? What kind of prep. should be done to the existing fiberglass before glassing the new inner transom liner in?  Comments questions appreciated.

-KRC

[stumpjumper]

Campbell, look at Tommy's web site hammerhead live wells, he pours transoms on his rebuilds he did my t-craft that is shown on his site. It is a very solid transom.Tommy rebuilds alot of aquasports here. I am almost ready to pour a flatback transom and will be leaving the outer skin on and form inside. The t-craft I cut the inside and outside all the way off, and Tommy poured the new one.

[campbell]

Made some progress on the demo.  I got 2/3 of the deck out over the weekend.  No real surprises, the strigners were in slightly worse condition than I expected.  The previous owner decked over the original deck and tub so that was interesting.  I probably salvaged a pound of stainless screws so far.  Ide post pics but I havent figured that out just yet.
-KRC

[RickK]

There are only 2 posts in this link - make sure to ONLY read the 2nd post.  Walks you right through how to post pix.

[campbell]