While fishing yesterday and running into a white cap lake I noticed my motor flexing with the waves! After putting the boat on the trailer I noticed a lot of wide deep cracks in the glass and wood on the transom both inside and out. I rebuilt the boat about 20 years ago and replaced the old plywood in the transom with 3 layers of treated 3/4 " plywood screwed and glued. I guess I am going to do it again. What do ya’ll recomend to use! The boat is a center console with a 250 on a bracket. When I went to the bracket I installed a pc. of 1/2" x 4" alum. across the inside to accept the bolts on the bracket and add regidity. What are your thoughts, any help would be apreached.
Thank goodness you made it
back to the landing.
How old was the boat when you rebuilt it, 20 years ago? Sounds like it’s about time for a new boat:wink:
I’ve always been told to not use Pressure treated plywood.
Something to do with the chemicals in the plywood prevents the resin from bonding properly.
I guess if you got 20 years out of it maybe there’s nothing to it.
218WA Sailfish
200 Verado
The "Penn"sion Plan
Time to re-do it with Coosa or similar and never worry about it again!
Wadmalaw native
16’ Bentz-Craft Flats Boat
Next time, kerf a 2x10 across the back of the transom to the sides…keeps down the flex.
Pics?
Where/how is it failing? Where the bracket is attached? Or, at the corners where it meets the sides? Or, both? Or, other?
If got decent adhesion with the ‘glue’ in the previous rebuild, then something is wrong with the engineering the rebuild… unless water got to the wood. A wood transom that is appropriately encapsulated will last indefinitely. Are there through-hull penetrations that let water get to the wood?
From an engineering point of view, rebuilding a transom is not trivial. If you put it back in original condition (same materials and techniques), then you’re relying on the manufacturer’s engineering and testing (or experience). If you did not rebuild it like new, then you’re relying on your engineering. Rebuild and hang a bracket at the same time? The entire thing must be redesigned. Hanging a bracket changes the loads that are applied to the transom significantly.
I’d consider getting some professional help with the design.
17’ Henry O Hornet w/ Johnson 88 spl
26’ Palmer Scott project hull
14’ Bentz-Craft w/ Yamaha 25
PalmerScott, you make a lot of since! Except that the rebuild, will be on a 20 year old rebuild, of a who knows how old boat!
Where is Cracker Larry? This is right up his alley.
Pioneer 222 Sportfish
Yamaha 250
Easy, I don’t understand your point.
Do you argue for scrapping the hull or redoing the previous redo?
17’ Henry O Hornet w/ Johnson 88 spl
26’ Palmer Scott project hull
14’ Bentz-Craft w/ Yamaha 25
Na! Sell it and get a new one! It was 20 years since the last rebuild! So how old is it? 30 years maybe! Cost vs return?
quote:I got a 1965, 1968, and 1970 25 Bertram that were paid for when bought. All 3 were changed to bracket boats. I don't like boat payments on a depreciating asset. Age has a way of showing value, before you make a judgment on worth. I would imagine he liked the hull enough to put the money in it. And yes you can use pressure treated plywood that has dried for over 3 weeks. Coated with resin after cutting and sit before lamination. I've had no failures over the last 20 + years. The kerfed 2x10 adds strength across the brackets downward stress. The old way was with knees that tied to stringers. My opinion only.
Originally posted by EasyNa! Sell it and get a new one! It was 20 years since the last rebuild! So how old is it? 30 years maybe! Cost vs return?
The boat is a 77. On the first rebuild I installed a 4 cyl chev with a merc out drive out of a boat given to me! After having the head freeze an cracked twice( due to trailering it home in the winter) I redid it and welded an alum. bracket and went back to an outboard (225 merc) then the 250 E tec . I cut out the transom today and found water had entered the plywood thru a crack in the scupper cut out and the plywood swelled from the inside and cracked along the edges of the overlap cloth. I was in the construction industry for 40 years before I retired 8 years ago and have a lot of materials left in my shop! Think I might try to rebuild the whole transom with LVL beams I have some 24" wide and can bond 2 together with a biscuit joiner or rout it to form a T&G and use urithane glue. Wish I could post pictures but I would rather work out side than learn how! I will have my wife post pictures as I make progress. I to was hopeing to hear from C Larry myself.
The reason I went with the bracket is to add the full highth transom!
I sunk the boat backing down a ramp in the dark in a lake that was down 21’ and the ramp was close to 45 deg. and it never floated off the trailer the boat just filled with water and turned upside down. I lost a lot of gear and the respect of my 10 year old son.
quote:You sound too much like me. How about spending your life working on an I/O. Done with that. I'm not worthy to respond in place of Cracker Larry. He'll be along soon enough when he sees the post. He's getting older and slower so give it some time...kinda like fishing. I'll post some pics as well since Sailfish 23 learened me to post pics. Spreading the downward pull force from the bracket across the transom is the key...thus the 2x10 tied to the corners. You never mentioned the boat model. I'm interested in why you like it.
Originally posted by boatpoorThe boat is a 77. On the first rebuild I installed a 4 cyl chev with a merc out drive out of a boat given to me! After having the head freeze an cracked twice( due to trailering it home in the winter) I redid it and welded an alum. bracket and went back to an outboard (225 merc) then the 250 E tec . I cut out the transom today and found water had entered the plywood thru a crack in the scupper cut out and the plywood swelled from the inside and cracked along the edges of the overlap cloth. I was in the construction industry for 40 years before I retired 8 years ago and have a lot of materials left in my shop! Think I might try to rebuild the whole transom with LVL beams I have some 24" wide and can bond 2 together with a biscuit joiner or rout it to form a T&G and use urithane glue. Wish I could post pictures but I would rather work out side than learn how! I will have my wife post pictures as I make progress. I to was hopeing to hear from C Larry myself.
quote:
He's getting older and slower so give it some time...kinda like fishing.
Guilty as charged[:I] And tired and retired. Never want to see another rotten transom.
quote:
I rebuilt the boat about 20 years ago and replaced the old plywood in the transom with 3 layers of treated 3/4 " plywood screwed and glued. I guess I am going to do it again. What do ya'll recomend to use! The boat is a center console with a 250 on a bracket. When I went to the bracket I installed a pc. of 1/2" x 4" alum. across the inside to accept the bolts on the bracket and add regidity. What are your thoughts, any help would be apreached.
You really want to know what I think? Keep in mind that I only build and repair boats one way. The right way, using the best of all materials. Second, I won’t do repairs on a boat that’s not worth the cost of repairs to do it right.
So my first thought is the same as Easy’s. Is the 40 year old hull worth the cost of a new transom. It probably also needs new stringers, frames, deck, has waterlogged foam, needs new wiring and plumbing…no telling what else until you start cutting into it. It may have some serious stress cracks in the hull glass too. What kind of boat is it? Does it have sentimental value? Is the juice worth the squeeze?
More to follow…
Capt. Larry Teuton
Swamp Worshiper
Larry, the boat is a 1977 Apollo built in Fla and now the Co. is defunked. I am the second owner and I like it because it is wide open and light I have replaced all the stringers and floor decking and covered all the interior with Rino liner.I built a building for the rino people and they went over budget and ended up owing me and we swaped it out with product. Like I said I’m retired and piddle all the time and need a new project, ain’t found any thing I won’t try! Have replaced a few in the past. Also have a project of enlarging the rudders on my 28 Bertram for better steering. Having a pacemaker has sure messed me up welding wise but my neighbor has a machine shop and I keep him busy with mt projects.
I cut out all the inner transom after cutting up the floor 12" from stern so I could work and pulled out all the wet/rotton plywood I think a thru hull washdown pump had a lot to do with the mess.Glad I had a small side grinder with a cutting wheel on it. It made short work of the glass up close but the rino liner was tough to peel off. Can’t beat a battery sawsall either. Took some pictures and will get the posted asap. Tomorrow I am going to try drying it out with a heat gun before I try any grinding and go get 3 gal of resign and some hardner I’ve got a box of fabric from way back.
if what you did lasted 20 years, doesn’t seem like a bad idea to just repeat.
if you get another 20 years…
www.teamcharlestonmarine.com
www.joinrfa.org
IF I RESPOND IN ALL CAPS, ITS NOT ON PURPOSE, AND I AM NOT YELLING
Chris, I’m 70 now and could only pray I would be blessed enough to use the boat in 20 years! We had a mfg. of large ag.tanks here in Laurens I use to get my materials from but the owner has passed and they have gone out of busness. Looking on the internet I found Pro marine fiberglass product with fairly good prices and free shipping, does any one on here have any experance with them .Hopeing to get boat in water before the closure of shrimp season. We tried to post pictures last night but couldn’t get the to go, can someone please explane the secret.