Transom repair questions

Long time lurker first time poster..... Great site!

Im going to replace the transom in my 1960 AlumaCraft "Torino" and have a few questions. I'd prefer not to learn from my own mistakes when possible so any advice is appreciated.

First- I'd like to pop the cap off and slide it foward to allow me to work on the area in question instead of cutting the cap off 10" up. Several online tutorials suggest to cut the cap deck back . My thought is by poping the rivets and sliding it foward I will avoid having to color match the gel coat a repair the fiberglass. This seems more work than just reriveting the deck and rubrail back on. Am I missing something? Making more work from myself?

Second- How far back should I cut the stringers? I assume at least 6 inches to allow me room to work?

Ive attached a few pics so hopefully one of you transom pros will know what im talking about.


Thanks in advance

Bonus question: How do i get a jackstand onto my tubular 58' gator trailer?!








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Re: Transom repair questions

Is this a fiberglass or aluminum boat? Are the stringers metal or wood?

I don't see any rivets in the hull, and you mention the decking being riveted... but cutting stringers back??? If the decking is riveted down, the stringers should be aluminum.

Take your seats out and let us see some more pics... and more info would also help.

Re: Transom repair questions



So, 1960 fiberglass Aluma Craft Torino....

There may be metal stringers below decks that allow the deck to be riveted down. I think there are 2 MFG's about this vintage, 14' & 13' if memory serves, they both had metal stringers below decks....

In this shot of your transom:


Is that the deck (floor) or the hull at the bottom of the pix?

j mo said:

First- I'd like to pop the deck off and slide it foward to allow me to work on the area in question instead of cutting the deck off 10" up. Several online tutorials suggest to cut the top deck back . My thought is by poping the rivets and sliding it foward I will avoid having to color match the gel coat a repair the fiberglass. This seems more work than just re-riveting the deck and rubrail back on. Am I missing something? Making more work from myself?

By deck, you are referring to the cap? The rubrail is attached by rivets behind the vinyl insert? Yes, if you are able to remove the rubrail, remove any rivets/screws holding the cap to the hull, you can remove the cap, work on the transom, deck & stringers. Then possibly reinstall the cap, rubrail & vinyl insert . Often, there is more to removing the rubrail & lifting the cap then that. But it maybe that easy on your's, maybe not. It certainly was more involved then that on my Glastron FireFlite....

Second- How far back should I cut the stringers? I assume at least 6 inches to allow me room to work?
Until you see your stringers, this is difficult to answer positively. Stringers are often subject to the same water intrusion & rot that is causing you to replace the deck (floor) & transom.

Ive attached a few pics so hopefully one of you transom pros will know what im talking about.


Thanks in advance

Bonus question: How do i get a jackstand onto my tubular 58' gator trailer?!
Hmmm, if you have access to a welder, a weld on jack stand may already be prepped to be installed on a round tube trailer frame.
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Click to expand...

You can weld on the clamp portion of this:


and that would give you a flat surface to thru bolt the jack to, using the u-bolt portion instead of the straight bracket & bolts that come w/ your jack stand.

Re: Transom repair questions

A fiberglass Alumacraft... that's like a nightmare I had a few weeks ago where my aluminum boat turned into fiberglass and then everything rotted in fast forward time lapse photography right before my eyes.

Since your boat is f'glass and if your stringers are aluminum, I wouldn't cut them back unless there looks to be an easy splice and reinstall.

Re: Transom repair questions

jigngrub said:

Is this a fiberglass or aluminum boat? Are the stringers metal or wood?


Take your seats out and let us see some more pics... and more info would also help.

Click to expand...

Sorry I should have clarified- this is a fiberglass AlumaCraft- Yes I know a strange marketing choice. For a few years AlumaCraft offered fiberglass models. A rare bird out here on the west coast

The stringers are wood and seem to be in good shape.

The seats are glassed onto the deck which is in good shape too, so for now they are going to stay...

More Pics- Can Do....

Thanks for your reply!

Re: Transom repair questions

Thanks for your reply. Again sorry for the confusion- Yes I meant "CAP" instead of the deck. The cap looks like its held in place by the aluminum rubrail which in turn is riveted to the hull. Below is a pic that I hope shows what im writing about a bit better.

jbcurt00 said:

So, 1960 fiberglass Aluma Craft Torino....


In this shot of your transom:

Is that the deck (floor) or the hull at the bottom of the pix?

The center portion is the hull on either side is the actual deck. The center portion was left open to allow access to the drain plug. I should have taken the pic at an angle to show it better.



You can weld on the clamp portion of this:

Nice!

and that would give you a flat surface to thru bolt the jack to, using the u-bolt portion instead of the straight bracket & bolts that come w/ your jack stand.

Click to expand...

Re: Transom repair questions

Just drill the rivets out that hold the rub rail and cap in place and take the cap off.

You will probably end up cutting the decking back from the transom if the decking is glassed (tabbed) to the transom (it's supposed to be). The decking should also be tabbed to the hull on both sides (port and starboard) and you probably won't be able to remove your decking at all without cutting it.

I would just cut the stringers where they but the transom with a reciprocating saw, you'll have to fiberglass the new transom and you can just tab the stringers back to the transom while you're at it.

If it was me, and I was going to have to go through the trouble or removing the cap and rebuilding the transom... I go ahead and remove the decking and stringers too. There probably more rot below deck than you think or would like to think.

This way everything would be new and you won't have to worry about it for a very long time.

Your floatation probably needs to be updated too... if you even have any floatation foam in that boat.