Wooden transom replacment Q's

Hello iboats. My name is Devin and i am new to the forums. I have heard many good things and i hope i can fit right in here. My first post will be about a 14' aluminum boat i recently came across. The transom, as you see below, needs replaced. I don't know exactly how i should go about it.
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Dkahn18/gr010.jpg



In the picture below you can see where its coming apart due to previous owner applying massive amounts of goop and not doing properly. Plus the wood itself is rotting.
http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Dkahn18/gr011.jpg

In this picture you can see the aluminum layer is still in decent shape. I want wondering if i should removed the old transom, and use it for a template. The material i would probably replace it with would be a 3/4'' pressure treated board, not OSB. Then coat it with a waterproof substance. I was then thinking that i would reinsert it and drill holes all the way through the wood and the aluminum and insert bolts with locknuts on them, while also applying goop in the bolt holes and what not. Currently the transom is only held on by a very large amount of goop and what appears to be four lockbolts in the center in about a 12'' diameter of eachother. Any ideas would be very highly appreciated. Thanks again iboats

-Devin


http://i447.photobucket.com/albums/qq196/Dkahn18/gr012.jpg

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

That is the strangest transom I have ever seen. It's like it's inside out!! Normally there would be a wooden piece on the inside that goes the whole way across (rarely all the way down to the bottom) and just a small pad on the outside. Yours is reversed. Odd.

Most important info first. DO NOT use pressure treated on an aluminum boat. The new PT formula eats aluminum. This is no joke.

I'd just replace the wood with exterior ply. There are any number of ways to seal it depending on how long you want it to last.

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

This is what they typically look like on the inside:

http://joefish.homestead.com/BoatTransom_002a.jpg

outside:
http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/at...epaint-aluminum-jon-boat-classic-dscf0622.jpg

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

Hmm,I want it to be sturdy. I have a 20 horse johnson that i plan on using for a casual small lake boat. I am just trying to take precautions as to make it strong enough to support the weight and to not leak or rot.

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

Thanks for the information about the PT level, i had not known that. I was thinking about two seperate peices of 3/4'' bonded together, then using 3 inch bolts with locknuts and then cutting the excess nut off for a more appealing "non cut risk" look. As it is right now even in its current state, the boat does not leak. However, i don't want to chance it and to me it seems there is a better way to do this. Thanks for your time, and any other input would be very happily read.

-Devin

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

can you post some Inside trans pics ? ..

Looking like your trans is outside in mounted..with a flange mounted from the inside to your trans then somehow mounted to the hull ??

Would pay to see inside were the trans is m8 .

YD.

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

I Will get more pictures when this rain stops. I am actually curious about how to go about sealing the back section. It leaks VERY slowly, but i would rather have it not leak at all. I dont know if i should try and remove the entire piece of plywood or not. Thanks for all the help.

-Devin

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

Remove all of it..

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

I am wondering if i should remove the entire structure, then flip the aluminum piece around and re-rivet it, or weld. Due to the fact that having the wood on the outside is a poor design and set up for failure in my opinion. I got this boat for so cheap that i would prefer just fix this myself instead of looking for a new boat. Any more input is highly appreciated.

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

Sounds like a plan to me. Like I said, it seems all backwards to us as it sits now. First off, remove all the wood and then take some pictures so we can see what we're dealing with. The aluminum parts of the hull may be fine as is.

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

Sounds great to me. As stated earlier, it has been raining for a few days, so i have been unable to do much. Tomorrow its supposed to clear up and i believe i will nail away at it. Thanks again for the input.

-Devin

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

I had a simular problem with my 13' tinny. I removed all of the old wood. I then made a template for the new wood out of cardboard. You only have to cover the upper 1/2 to 3/4 of the transom. I cut 3/4" ply (you may want to go to 1 1/2" ((2 layers of 3/4")) depending on power of OB)from the template. I put the new wood up against the outside of the transom and secured with C clamps. I then drilled mounting holes through the alumnium transom and wood. Then remove the wood and coat/seal/paint with coating of your choice. Next place a ring of 3M 4200 sealer around each hole and install the new wood back using stainless bolts, washers and lock nuts.

I did this about 10 years ago & it works just fine.

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

When you say you removed the wood, and then sealed holes, do you mean you sealed the holes in the aluminum? Then put the wood on ? Thanks again for all the input. Today i will be pulling the wood off.
-Devin

Re: Wooden transom replacment Q's

Hello iboats, I have an update. I such 4 bolts through the transom and sealed as i saw proper. Doing this pulled the wood back into the area that it was originally intended for. I then sealed the outside walls of the wood and waited 24 hours.
We through the good old and still kicking 1966 20 horse johnson on the back and went to a small lake near our house(Buffalo Lake in South East Kansas, known for large catfish.) Boy was i impressed. Not a single drip and i was out there for 6 hours straight. Lets hope it holds for the rest of the season. We have around 3 weeks left here before its going to get nasty. This motor is something else though, its the real story.
My grandfather has collected antique outboards all his life. He has over 100 outboards ranging from the late 30's to the 90's from 2 horse up to 50 horse. He had this 18 horse evinrude and a 20 horse johnson that were blocking his way into the garage. He told me to take them. Neither one ran, i ended up having to take parts from the 18 horse and swapped onto the 20 horse and got her running prestine. I will have my wife take video footage this afternoon, for some of you to enjoy.

-Devin Kahn