Looks Like I'm the Newest Member to the Club-Transom Restoration Begins

[SeaVee]

OP- off topic but how do you like those new Merc’s? I hear great things about them ( other than the 53 week lead time currently). Would be a perfect match for my 265 Express.

 

[blindmullet]

Boat is rated for 500hp, at least the 1998 is. Mine with heavy old 2005 F225s has all the power it would ever need.

I was wondering if any of the "pourable" products would make an appearance. Those seem really appealing. (I too will probably be doing this job in the next year or two...)

True Composites: Arjay 6011-Ceramic Pourable Compound Transom Putty-Cruise, Navy Ships, Bulk Vessels, LPG/LNG Tanks, Power Boats, Wood, Plywood Transom (1 Gallon): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

True Composites: Arjay 6011-Ceramic Pourable Compound Transom Putty-Cruise, Navy Ships, Bulk Vessels, LPG/LNG Tanks, Power Boats, Wood, Plywood Transom (1 Gallon): Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

CarbonBond Transom Compound - Carbon-Core Corporation

The Carbon-Bond pourable Transom Compound material is being successfully employed by quality conscious, efficiency-minded boat manufacturers.

www.carbon-core.com

Yes, these are great materials if they are done correctly. They will actually fill better on many applications, but I have seen some bad chain saw artists--lol. Hollowing out between 2 skins is for boat flippers. Building a skin from the inside or outside with the appropriate dam will have better contact on transoms that aren't true or have a convex/concave curve. Check out Classicmako--they have had a few good projects using pourables.

 

[Paul_A]

Yes, these are great materials if they are done correctly. They will actually fill better on many applications, but I have seen some bad chain saw artists--lol. Hollowing out between 2 skins is for boat flippers. Building a skin from the inside or outside with the appropriate dam will have better contact on transoms that aren't true or have a convex/concave curve. Check out Classicmako--they have had a few good projects using pourables.

Are you saying that to get a good result from a pourable you have to remove one of the skins to clean out the old wood and then build a new skin, and then pour?

Wouldn't that negate any advantage of using a pourable?

I mean, if I'm going through the trouble to remove part of the cap and motor well or the outer skin if I attack it from the outside I'm using epoxy and coosa.

I ask because I thought on a cut transom boat like my 208 the chainsaw prybar dig it out from the top technique was acceptable.

 

[blindmullet]

I ask because I thought on a cut transom boat like my 208 the chainsaw prybar dig it out from the top technique was acceptable.

The boat flippers run a chain saw between two skins and hope for the best. Is it acceptable? Not in my book but in Craiglist boat flippers it's spot on--lol.

With some transoms it turns into a jig saw puzzle or like I mentioned before some of the curved transoms. Cleaning the surface and rebuilding a skin will produce a better trransom in the long run. Those pourables shouldn't be thought of as an "easy" fix unless you want to flip a boat on Craigslist-- Lol I'm sure some of those boat flips never had a problem--but I'll pass.

 

[Legend]

Originals were 200 hp. Added roughly 250 lbs to transom. Transom is about 2" thick.

BTW...I installed the only engine Grady said would work on my boat.

1994 Sailfish was rated for a max of 450 HP. Not sure what year they went up to 500.

 

[Late Again Grady]

OP- off topic but how do you like those new Merc’s? I hear great things about them ( other than the 53 week lead time currently). Would be a perfect match for my 265 Express.

I think they are a perfect fit for the older Grady's that were not designed for todays heavy fourstrokes. The perform great on the boat and I went from 1.0 mpg with the old 2strokes to 1.5-1.7 mpg with the new Mercs.

 

[Late Again Grady]

Latest pics. 99% bad wood has been removed. Should finish up first of next week and then start laying in the Coosa board. Only one stringer needs to be replaced (center) and that will be all coosa board. Remaining stringers although are still plywood, the are strong and still incapsulated in glass. They will however be sistered with coosa board on both sides and all encapsulated with resin and cloth. Also adding half inch additional thickness to transom. Original was 2" and going to 2 1/2" thick. One last thought...also going to replace all thruhulls that I can get to while the back end is cut open.

 

[Pat Hurley]

From a quality control aspect have the Scientist in the transom design and fabrication department done anything different to remedy this problem other than installing a plastic bang plate on new builds vs the aluminum one ?? What year are we in now ? ( sarcasm ) sorry I couldn’t help myself.

 

[Fishtales]

I don't mind telling. Estimate is $5K plus about 1500.00 for engine removal and replace. Going back in with coosa board instead of wood.

sounds fair. I paid 2X that in MA and felt I got screwed.

 

[Late Again Grady]

Transom has been repaired and looks pretty good. Hopefully engines will be installed this week. While I was at it, I decided to change out all of the thru hulls around the stern. Changed out the deck drains as well. Also, had the old oil fill caps removed and covered. Sprayed the complete inside of the transom with gelcoat. Final tally 7.5k.

Edit: Shop owner was good enough to walk me through rebuilding my deck hatch as well.

 

[Fishtales]

Looks good. Only thing I may have done differently is not install the bang plate. Not sure why it was screwed in place in the first place. Poor design if you ask me.

 

[fsc60]

Nice job, looks great

 

[PointedRose]

Looks great

 

[jmain]

Transom has been repaired and looks pretty good. Hopefully engines will be installed this week. While I was at it, I decided to change out all of the thru hulls around the stern. Changed out the deck drains as well. Also, had the old oil fill caps removed and covered. Sprayed the complete inside of the transom with gelcoat. Final tally 7.5k.

Edit: Shop owner was good enough to walk me through rebuilding my deck hatch as well.

Wow! That all looks great! Maybe I should have mine hauled up to SC. It would probably still be cheaper than having it done down here in SWFL. I am going to seriously consider that, when I have time to get back to this project.

 

[Late Again Grady]

Wow! That all looks great! Maybe I should have mine hauled up to SC. It would probably still be cheaper than having it done down here in SWFL. I am going to seriously consider that, when I have time to get back to this project.

This guy does really good work. He has the best reputation in our part of the world. And as I said, he let me work through all of my thru hulls and deck drains while the boat was opened up saving me a lot of undo contortions on the body.

 

[wahoo33417]

Sorry to see the pain. But looks as though you're on your way towards getting through it. I'm another one who is wondering just how mine looks inside. I'm going to look for those rust stains coming off the bolts this weekend.