46 years = a good run for a Transom

[nightfighter]

Sooooo happy my fuel tank replacement is behind me! The thought of it keeps me from considering some larger Gradys of the same vintage.

Joe, I know you know what you are doing, but might as well share this for reading material and for others who may not know the process or some of the tricks others have learned...

https://www.boatoutfitters.com/repla...1OVFA9,19UHC,1

[Slipknot]

WOW!!! That is a LOT Joe. I'm sure your dedication will pay off when it is finished the right way. That is very ambitious of you, well done on the dirty part, good luck with the rest. I hope the weather holds out for some more warm days.

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

Sooooo happy my fuel tank replacement is behind me! The thought of it keeps me from considering some larger Gradys of the same vintage.

Joe, I know you know what you are doing, but might as well share this for reading material and for others who may not know the process or some of the tricks others have learned...

https://www.boatoutfitters.com/repla...1OVFA9,19UHC,1

I will say this about coosa, it is rediculosly expensive, and for all practical purposes, a huge waste of money, it's just trendy, properly sealed marine plywood will last longer than most people will keep their boats, in my case, mine will be rock solid long after I'm taking a dirt nap
I've done many of them, the demo is probably the hardest part, I've got most of the grinding done..what's left is fun..
This is not a difficult job,it only requires a basic understanding of boat construction, willingness to work hard and get dirty, if you have the proper tools, proper safty equipment and do your due diligence on prep work, its not a big deal, some people tend to over think and complicate the build, the proper planning makes the job go smoothly, I'll be fabricating the transome out of 3 layers of Okoume, laminated with thickened epoxy,the stringers will be laminated 3/4 Okoume, totally encased in glass then bedded and filleted with thickened epoxy and then tabbed in with 2 layers of 1708 and 2 layers of 1.5 ounce mat..
Easy peasy..I'll be jigging haddock in May.

[Rockfish9]

I haven't updated for a while, so, here's where I am at, it's slow going because of the temps, I use a propane salamander to heat the space and the work surface, one each step is finished, I made a "hot box" from foam insulation and heat the lower and outside edges with heat lamps , and the internal space with a oil filled eclectic heater, an Infared temp reader ( made famous during the covid siege) tells me the work space is 70, and the work surfaces are between 58 -70 , this epoxy considers 50 acceptable, and thus far, everything has set perfectly in 4 hours, and appears to be cured in 24..

after copious amounts of grinding with 36 grit, using a 6" flat disc and flapper disc in combination, the surfaces were them vacuumed, chemically cleaned with acetone then the transom was raised to 30", a Plexi backer board ( with plastic left on the imprinted the lettering ink the fiberglass, but peeled off), once cured, it was sanded, and again washed with acetone, while the transom glass insert was setting, I filled all the existing holes with a mixture of 2 part epoxy, fiberglass strands and cabosil, 2 layers of 1.5 oz mat and 2 layers of 1708 were applied to the inner side of the outer skin, to stiffen it and prepare it for the new core once the repairs were cured, sanded and cleaned
The new core was made/cut out from sheets of 1/2" Okoume , Okoume is much lighter than Douglas fir or Meranti, 3 layers/sheets give me 27 plys .. I made a cardboard template of the transom core from the inside of the boat, then it was transferred to 1/4" hardboard for making all my laminate pieces and glass cuts
the cut-out pieces were chemically cleaned, then coated with a neat coat of epoxy to act as a binder and prevent the wood from "drinking my bonding mixture, the bonding mixture consisted of 2 part epoxy thickened with a mixture of cab-o-sil and wood flour to a consistency of peanut butter, the mixture was then spread with a 1/4" notched trowel , all rows heading upward to aid in relieving any trapped air, the newly laminated core was then clamped together and any excess epoxy removed, the end grain was sealed with this excess.

after the lamination was complete, the entire core was sanded and fitted to the inner transom, where it was bedded in thickened epoxy and clamped to the outer skin, next weekend, I'll grind/sand and tab in the core to the inner hull and Sunday apply 4 layers of glass to form the inner skin.. im in good shape now so it can get as cold as it wants to get, i can finish in the spring if need be.

[Rockfish9]

preparing the core for laminating to the outer skin

[Rockfish9]

Now I wait - but can breathe a sigh of relief, there is still a lot of work to do, but the most tedious, slow going is behind me.. I started 2 months ago, only working on it on weekends, I'm happy to be where I am at this point with no major setbacks, and the weather hasn't been a factor. it's a lot easier to suit up and grind glass in 40 degree weather than it is when it's 80.. on a side not, I bought a cheap ( read IMHO disposable) dust collector on Amazon, that thing has been a game changer in keeping fine airborne dust from flying everywhere, the heavy stuff can be vacuumed and or swept up for disposal. I haven't had a case of the "itchies" once this entire project.

[Slipknot]

Very detailed process Joe, outstanding work as usual. I guess you are committed at this point. It will be better than it was new.
You sure have a lot of drive still, amazing.

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by Rockfish9

Now I wait - but can breathe a sigh of relief, there is still a lot of work to do, but the most tedious, slow going is behind me.. I started 2 months ago, only working on it on weekends, I'm happy to be where I am at this point with no major setbacks, and the weather hasn't been a factor. it's a lot easier to suit up and grind glass in 40 degree weather than it is when it's 80.. on a side not, I bought a cheap ( read IMHO disposable) dust collector on Amazon, that thing has been a game changer in keeping fine airborne dust from flying everywhere, the heavy stuff can be vacuumed and or swept up for disposal. I haven't had a case of the "itchies" once this entire project.

Thanks Bruce, you know me well enough to know I have 2 speed- Idle and open - I was committed as soon as I saw the crack and then I became aware of the flex- January 1(2024) I'm going to permanent 4 day weeks, May - October 3 day weeks, using 1 day a week accumulated vacation time- Next January 1( 2025)- it's OVAH! they can beg and plead all they want -I've had enough - mostly of politics here and new found philosophy's - love my job and the work that I have been doing here for the last 30 years, but it's time for me to go.- they still haven't found a replacement, I've had 5 different people in the last year, none have made it past the 6 month mark- most make it a week or 2- it's been discussed by us "old farts" to nauseum, but the younger generation has no desire to work- and forget about the talent pool- we all know what that is like.
Back to the boat - I cut and glassed all the new stringers and bulkheads this week, down in my shop, once I get the transom inner skin tied in, then I'll put the stringers and bulkheads in, with a little luck, that will all be done by Christmas, leaving the foaming of the bulkheads in and sole install until spring- even if I don't get anything else done before i start ice fishing, I'll still be able to finish by the end of May... I might even use my spray gun to paint the hull instead of a brush and roller

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Rockfish9

I will say this about coosa, it is rediculosly expensive, and for all practical purposes, a huge waste of money, it's just trendy, properly sealed marine plywood will last longer than most people will keep their boats, in my case, mine will be rock solid long after I'm taking a dirt nap
I've done many of them, the demo is probably the hardest part, I've got most of the grinding done..what's left is fun..
This is not a difficult job,it only requires a basic understanding of boat construction, willingness to work hard and get dirty, if you have the proper tools, proper safty equipment and do your due diligence on prep work, its not a big deal, some people tend to over think and complicate the build, the proper planning makes the job go smoothly, I'll be fabricating the transome out of 3 layers of Okoume, laminated with thickened epoxy,the stringers will be laminated 3/4 Okoume, totally encased in glass then bedded and filleted with thickened epoxy and then tabbed in with 2 layers of 1708 and 2 layers of 1.5 ounce mat..
Easy peasy..I'll be jigging haddock in May.

I’ve done more fiberglass work that probably anyone here.
I love Coosa ( other than cutting or grinding. Dust is nasty)
Won’t suck up water and holds a screw (within reason) but I do agree it’s expensive (though it’s nice to have friends who buy it wholesale & do a lot of volume 😏
Plywood is ok as long as completely encapsulated in resin.
Marine plywood is not cheap either !
The minute someone drills and doesn’t de-core….. different story.
Coosa you don’t have to de-coring and is very lightweight

[Rockfish9]

transom is in, just needs fairing and gel coat, new Douglass fir keel stringer has been installed, fully encased in fiberglass and epoxy, sole has been raised 4" by adding Douglass fir risers( fully encased in epoxy and fiberglass) rear splash well was molded and bonded to the transom with thickened epoxy, wire chases have been run as has plumbing for the bait well and wash down pump, a below deck battery area has been created as has a mid ship anchor locker, box stringers have been foamed in, trimmed flush and sealed with epoxy, then a veil of 2 layers of 1.5 ounce mat put over the top to seal the "box" I'l prepare the plas-core deck this week and start the install next weekend.