FD transom replacement

[super cs]

I was eyeballing my FD this afternoon and what I had expected to be an easy job now looks much more involved. As far as I can tell, the factory assembled the Aqueduct Transom and the corner castings around the wooden transom after it was put in place. In order to get it out in one piece (and the new one in) it looks like I'll have to break rivets I don't really want to break.

Has anybody done this job? Am I making it harder than it has to be?

 

[Cotuit]

Re: FD transom replacement

It's not that hard, just time consuming. I drilled out all the bolts, took everything apart, and put it back together again with stainless steel hardware. The exterior wood was also getting bad so I replaced it at the same time. I think it's better to do both at the same time because the exterior piece may be fastened through the interior piece.
I replace the interior piece of wood with a piece of manufactured decking material. It's a brown color and looks okay to me. Not traditional, but I couldn't find any 5/4 hardwood to use. I polyurethaned the outer piece of 1/2 inch exterior plywood and it looks very good.

I think it was worth the effort.

Mike

 

[cc67]

Re: FD transom replacement

That inner transom wood is a bear to remove. I used two pieces of 1/4" plywood cut to shape and had to put them in one at a time. Only trim I had to remove was the top.

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I used 1/2" plywood on the outer. Some stain and alot of polyurethane and it looks pretty good.

 

[Crappie Stalker]

Re: FD transom replacement

I am getting ready to replace my transom lumber as well on my 1952 model. It is the original board and has held up very well. Does anyone know what type of wood was used originally?

 

[Crappie Stalker]

Re: FD transom replacement

cc67,
I would like to see what your boat looks like after you repaired your transom.
Do you have any pics? How hard was it to remove the top cap? The corner bracing that covers the ends of the cap have a ton of rivets in them. I was thinking that I was going to have to remove the 2 braces to replace the wood.

 

[super cs]

Re: FD transom replacement

After a lot of thought, I'm planning to replace mine without breaking any rivets. I'm going to use three thicknesses of 1/2 " marine plywood, each piece cut roughly in half so that I can install it under the corner braces. I'll stagger the joints and epoxy it all together in place.

 

[Crappie Stalker]

Re: FD transom replacement

Super cs,
Where are you getting your marine plywood from? I have not been able to find any around me, That is why I was thinking of going with solid lumber for my transom.

 

[super cs]

Re: FD transom replacement

Super cs,
Where are you getting your marine plywood from? I have not been able to find any around me, That is why I was thinking of going with solid lumber for my transom.

I went to a local lumberyard here in Rochester, NY expecting to have to ask them to order it and was surprised to find they had it in stock. 4x8 sheets of fir, marine plywood, 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch. I think they said the half inch was $68

 

[Vintage Aluminum]

Re: FD transom replacement

White oak was the original heavy stock used for the inside transom board on the old AlumaCrafts. Slightly more than 1 inch in thickness....Most of the old boats have original oak transom boards. The outside board was of some type of plywood. Not marine plywood in my experience but its hard to tell what was there originally as this board was easier to replace and needed replacement over that 50+ year history.

VA

 

[cc67]

Re: FD transom replacement

Crappie,I'll post some pictures later today.It'll gimme a chance to use my new camera.

 

[cc67]

Re: FD transom replacement

Like I stated earlier, I used two pieces of 1/2" plywood for the inside. That way I could bend them around the corner caps. When I got them in I used some liquid nails in between the layers. Then I polyurethaned the heck outa it.

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll289/kink1955/Transompics002.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll289/kink1955/Transompics003.jpg

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll289/kink1955/Transompics004.jpg
Not going to win any boat show trophies, but it works.

 

[saltH2Odeprived]

Re: FD transom replacement

The inside wood was in good shape on my boat. I replaced the outside using marine plywood coated in polyurethane. Be sure and drill holes in the outside board aligned with the transom aquaduct drain holes. My motor is a long shaft so I built an adjustable jack plate.

 

[cc67]

Re: FD transom replacement

What did you use to coat the inside of the boat?

 

[Crappie Stalker]

Re: FD transom replacement

cc67,
I started on the boat today. I removed the board in sections and was hoping the top aluminum cap would slide down and out from under the corner braces. I could not get it to budge. How did you remove this piece without tearing it up?
Thanks for the pictures. It sure looks alot nicer than the old weathered board. Good Job!

 

[cc67]

Re: FD transom replacement

CS, if you remove the outer transom wood you'll see that the upper trim is spot welded to the transom. I had to use a small chisel to break it free and then I just pulled it up from the middle. I kinda bends but it is pretty soft and easily flattens out during re-assembly.

 

[saltH2Odeprived]

Re: FD transom replacement

What did you use to coat the inside of the boat?

The old coating inside the boat was stripped to bare aluminum. Sanded, and then Gluvit marine epoxy was applied to all of the seams and rivets. Then the bare aluminum was wiped with AlumaPrep and then coated with AlumaProtect epoxy primer. Top coat is blue DuraBak which has a non slip texture. Seats are painted with a matching blue automotive paint with polyurethane added (I did not want the seats rough like the bottom). It was a lot of work but I now have a water tight, non slip coating that will last many years.