Repairing Guides

how to repair a cracked boat transom

by Gerry Cummerata Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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  1. Dry the Boat. To make any repairs to your boat or transom, you first need to get your boat out of the water and into a dry ...
  2. Check the Damage. Before you remove any parts of the transom or make any repairs, it is important to assess the damage on your transom first.
  3. Remove the Transom. Cut the deck section of the transom to get to its core. Use the crowbar or hammer and chisel to carefully remove the transom.
  4. Mark and Cut the Damaged Area. You then need to draw or mark the area where you need to cut the transom. ...
  5. Cut the New Transom. After removing the damaged area, use this piece as a pattern to create a new transom. ...
  6. Add Fiberglass. Once you are done cutting the two plywood pieces, you can now fiberglass the two sheets together. ...
  7. Sand the Edges. After curing, flip the plywood and round out the edges using sandpaper or a sander. ...
  8. Install the New Transom. When you are done sanding, place the new transom onto the boat and check if it fits. ...

How to fix a rotted transom on your boat?

Repairing Fiberglass Powerboat Transoms - Epoxywork

  • The process taken to Refit the Transom back on to the PVC tubes. 1. Zodiac Transom and transom fittings which were removed by hot air gun. 2. ...
  • um jon boat with a wood transom that needs replacement means possibilities, such as making the transom taller to accommodate a long-shaft outboard. ...
  • Joined Aug 2, 2010. ·. 1,084 Posts. #5 · Aug 1, 2017. ...

How to rebuild the transom on a fiberglass boat?

How to Rebuild the Transom on a Fiberglass Boat

  • Take Plenty of Pictures First! Before you get started make sure you take a few pictures of your transom from numerous different angles.
  • Now De-Skin it! ...
  • Now the Fun begins! ...
  • Create a Template to Cut Out the New One. ...
  • Getting it Ready. ...
  • Glassing it Onto the Hull. ...
  • Filleting and Tabbing. ...
  • Cutout Your Holes. ...
  • Cover The Inside with Fiberglass. ...

How to repair dry rot in a boat?

  • Boat Hull Patching, Concrete Patching, Wood Filler, Sandable And ...
  • Honeycomb Edge Closeout - Epoxy Syntactic Foam
  • Chemical Resistant, Saltwater/Freshwater Resistant
  • Excellent Adhesion To Wood, Steel, Aluminum, Soft Metals, Concrete, ...

How do you repair fiberglass damage to a boat?

How do you repair fiberglass damage on a boat? Fill any deep gouges and spend your time sanding out scratches while the filler sets up. Apply gel coat to the filled gouges and finish to the scratches and then final-sand the filled gouges. Buff all the repaired areas and then the rest of the boat. Apply any graphics to finish up.

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Can you fix a cracked transom on a boat?

RE: Cracks in Transom I would open up the crack and seal it off. After you do that, you can gelcoat or screw a nice piece of aluminum on top of the transom. You might also want to remove your motor and see if there is any moisture in the bolt holes going through the transom.

Can a transom be repaired?

Repairing A Rotted Transom This two-part liquid epoxy fills and restores the dry rot inside the wood using capillary action to penetrate it without drilling it full of holes. You can inject Git-Rot directly into the wood for more thorough penetration. Make sure the wood fiber are dry though!

How much does it cost to repair a boat transom?

between $2,000.00 and $5,000.00In boat repair circles it is a job for a professional yard — tear the old transom away and replace it. This is usually estimated at a cost somewhere between $2,000.00 and $5,000.00 or more depending on the size of the boat.

How do you repair a fiberglass boat transom?

1:4037:14[EP11] Fibreglass Boat Transom Replacement From The OutsideYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo firstly traditionally you would go you would remove a transom from the inside you'd cut awayMoreSo firstly traditionally you would go you would remove a transom from the inside you'd cut away everything from the inside that way you can keep the outer hull of the boat.

What is the best material for a boat transom?

Coosa Board is high density polyurethane foam with reinforced layers of fiberglass. The result is a material equally or superior in rigidity at a fraction of the weight of plywood. It is truly the premier decking & transom material in the marine industry.

How long do transoms last?

On to fabricating the replacement transom: Most, if not all wooden transoms in smaller boats are made of plywood. From the looks of the transom in this boat, I would estimate a typical transom will last about 20 years or so before they need to be replaced.

What is a boat transom made of?

Many modern boat transoms are made of reinforced fiberglass material to prevent degradation when exposed to saltwater and other elements and so that they can support the weight of additional items. Most personal watercraft have one or more outboard motors on their transoms.

What is the lifespan of a fiberglass boat?

How Long Do Fiberglass Boats Typically last? Fiberglass boats can be sound and seaworthy for up to fifty years or more. Fiberglass is very durable, and with proper maintenance and care, fiberglass boats can last for many decades. Fiberglass itself will not break down but instead will break down due to outside factors.

How do you make a transom stronger?

4:2213:05SUPER STRONG Transom Support Build - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere. So to tie these top tubes into this corner bracket system that i'm building i've got someMoreHere. So to tie these top tubes into this corner bracket system that i'm building i've got some heavy wall inch and a quarter pipe which is just a little bit bigger than the diameter of these up top.

How do you reinforce a fiberglass transom?

Apply epoxy to the edges of the outer fiberglass skin of the transom and over the heads of the screws holding the skin to the plywood, and lay a strip of fiberglass cloth over the epoxy. Once the fiberglass has cured, repeat this step until four layers of fiberglass and epoxy have been applied.

How many layers of fiberglass does a transom have?

Because the opening in the transom is smaller than the plywood core required for the repair, you will need to replace the core in pieces involving 3 or 4 layers. Multiple layers are required so the butt joint or joints in any given layer can be staggered and isolated from joints in an adjacent layer.

How thick should I make my transom?

As for Thickness, 3 layers of 3/4" composite, skin,bonding laminates and tab layer should work out around 3 inches.

Can you reinforce a transom?

Rough up the edges of the outer fiberglass skin you removed from the transom with the palm sander. Apply a heavy coat of epoxy to the last sheet of plywood you used to fill the transom void, and replace the outer fiberglass skin of the transom, using wood screws around the edges to attach the fiberglass to the plywood.

How can you tell if your boat transom is bad?

If the boat is I/O powered, a typical sign of a bad transom is the appearance of stress cracks on the outside of the transom. The cracks will be in the location between the bilge drain and the botton of the outdrive and they're crescent shaped (they look like smiley faces).

How do you reinforce an aluminum transom?

9:4113:05SUPER STRONG Transom Support Build - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd all we're trying to do is just protect. The steel parts from the aluminum. So we want to giveMoreAnd all we're trying to do is just protect. The steel parts from the aluminum. So we want to give them a layer of paint in between the two so that they don't contact and corrode over.

How many layers of fiberglass does a transom have?

Because the opening in the transom is smaller than the plywood core required for the repair, you will need to replace the core in pieces involving 3 or 4 layers. Multiple layers are required so the butt joint or joints in any given layer can be staggered and isolated from joints in an adjacent layer.

What is a transom on a boat?

The transom on your boat is like the caboose on a train: it’s all anyone sees after you’ve passed. Regularly inspect this area, apply Git-Rot when needed, and you’ll go far in extending the life and quality of your boat.

Why do you need to inspect a boat transom?

Because problems like rot frequently plague boat transoms, you’re going to need to regularly inspect the transom for rot problems specifically. The good news is that there are dedicated products to help treat this kind of boat rot.

What is the area of a boat that can be overlooked?

Even when you inspect your hull regularly, there’s one area of your boat that can often get overlooked: the transom. New boat owners aren’t even aware that the surface of their boat’s stern even has its own name. But if you want your boat to look its best, checking and repairing the transom is essential. But that still leaves one question: how do ...

How to treat transom wood?

This isn’t to say that Git-Rot will require absolutely no work at all. There are a few best practices to treat your transom wood: Wait for the ideal temperature —between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. At about 70 degrees, the applied Git-Rot will solidify overnight, boosting the wood’s strength. Inject the Git-Rot into the wood’s end grain ...

Can you use git rot on damp wood?

Inject into dry wood. While Git-Rot will eventually cure even in damp wood, it works much better in dry wood, as the epoxy solution will move around more freely and better saturate the wood.

What is a transom on a boat?

Transoms are major structural parts of fiberglass powerboats, especially outboards. Transoms not only support the weight of the motor, they maintain the shape of the boat, they are a mounting point for holdowns, towing eyes and other accessories. And, they must be able to let water out of the hull, without letting it back in.

How far can you repair skin on a powerboat?

Because skin repair requires a 12-to-1 scarf angle, the repair area can extend several inches beyond the edges of the transom. On a powerboat, this normally requires some repair and refinishing of the exterior skin beyond the transom corners, onto the sides and bottom of the boat.

How thick is a transom?

In other words, use four layers of 3/8″ or 6 layers of ¼” plywood to build up a 1½”-thick transom instead of three layers of ½”. Be sure to fill any voids in the plywood edges with thickened epoxy after the panels are cut into shape. Make a template of the transom and use it to layout the plywood layers.

What causes a transom to rot?

Moisture penetrates the plywood core, leading to delamination and eventual rot. Moisture can also penetrate the transom skin at hardware fasteners, around drain holes and I/O cutouts. These factors have a cumulative effect on structural failure. When the transom loses its stiffness, so does the outboard motor.

How to laminate fiberglass skin?

If your fiberglass skin is unusable, plan to laminate a new fiberglass skin over the core with multiple layers of fiberglass and epoxy. Apply them one layer at a time until the same skin thickness is achieved. Subsequent layers can be applied immediately or while the previous layer is still tacky. If the epoxy is allowed to cure beyond being tacky, allow it to cure overnight, then wash the surface with water and sand the surface to prepare it for more layers. Laminate the new skin so it extends to the edge of the 12:1 bevel that was machined earlier on the outer edges of the transom. Install the biggest patch first with each layer being progressively smaller to fill the 12:1 bevel. For additional information on laminating a large new fiberglass skin see Section 4.3 of Fiberglass Boat Repair & Maintenance (free download).

How many times does a bevel back from the corner of a fiberglass cut line?

The distance of the cut line (and the bevel) back from the corner is 12 times the fiberglass thickness. A 12-to-1 bevel allows room for multiple layers of fiberglass fabric and epoxy across the cut line to restore strength to the fiberglass skin.

What determines the bevel length of a fiberglass transom?

The fiberglass thickness determines the bevel length which is also the distance from the corner to the location of the cuts for removing the fiberglass skin. As mentioned, the cut line will be located to allow the outer edge of the bevel to end before the corner of the transom.

How to Identify A Rotted Transom

The first step is to know how to find rot in your transom. You might think that giving your boat a once-over is enough, but we’re talking about rot here—it’s not always going to make itself obvious. Wood can rot from the inside out, which means that by the time you see it, you might have a serious rotting problem on your hands.

Repairing A Rotted Transom

Once you’ve looked for water trapped in the transom and other issues that could have caused the rotting, it’s time to think about the wood itself. If you caught it early enough, it might be possible that you can avoid expensive repairs.

Shop More from BoatLIFE

Now that you know how to fix a rotten transom on your boat, are you looking for more ways to maintain your craft? Browse the boat revitalization and cleaning products available here at BoatLIFE for all of your needs!

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