Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

[possom813]

I've been looking at the seacast and don't believe I'll be able to make it work for this boat, just because the way everything is laid out in front of the transom.

No big deal.

The transom is trashed, even the aluminum got tore up a little bit. I bought it from a guy who bought it from a lady about an hour from where he lived. The transom was already weak and he didn't secure the motor at all, so it beat the transom to death fro an hour or so.

Still, no big deal.

I've talked with a local welder and told him what I was going to need repaired and he quoted me about 3 hours labor, so not too terrible, considering the brackets are going to have to be rebuilt and two welds about 18 inches long each are going to have to be rewelded where I'm going to have to cut them.

But herein lies the question, how do you bend aluminum out of the way without breaking it? Or do I just suck it up, cut the top rail off and have the welder reattach it?

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

Can you show some pictures, and why do you have to cut the welds to get the transom out? As for the top cap if you're careful you may be able to salvage it. I think most caps are nailed in with small nails all along the length inside and out.

 

[possom813]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

Here are some pics, I went to a buddies and picked up a portapower ram to try and slowly bend the corners up and out of the way without breaking the welds. There aren't any nails in the topcap that I can see, it's just folded over the wood and back down into the splashwell.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

Wow, I have to say that one is a bit beyond me...it looks like a lot more "fun" than most. That is one trashed transom though. I don't know what to say about your cap. I had to have one fabricated and then I screwed it on. Hopefully somebody will come along who has some experience with your particular boat.

 

[possom813]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

I'm thinking I'm going to try to bend it up, and if it starts to break, just cut it and make it look pretty and remake a cap that I can screw in with stainless screws and seal them up with marine epoxy and make it look pretty.

 

[I Fish]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

You gotta figure they got that wood in there somehow. I mean I doubt they built the transom around the wood. Could it be that you could get the old out and new in from the bottom?

 

[possom813]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

I've got it cleaned up better today and believe I have my gameplan for getting the wood out.

The wood doesn't go all the way down to the floor of the, it stops about 5 or 6 inches above the bottom.

I borrowed a friend's portapower body tool and think it will allow me to bend what needs to be bent. As for the top cap, it may break when bent, so if it does, it's getting a shiny new cap.

I'm on shift now and will post pics up next week when I'm able to tinker again

 

[bonz_d]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

What kind of boat is this? Allweld Alumacraft Jon? If you can post more pictures of the corners. Both inside and out. Is the cap/splashwell all welded in place?

 

[possom813]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

Is a 1982 BassTracker III 16' all aluminum, riveted boat.

I was looking at the splashwell this morning, and it appears that it's riveted in on the front and welded with the same welds that are holding on the corner pieces.

I don't have pics of the splashwell, I had to get all the leaves and trash out of the engine/battery compartment to get a good look. It's starting to look a little easier, still with umpteen brazillion rivets to pop and replace with stainless bolts.

These are the only pics of the corners I've got right now, I'll get some more this next week off.

 

[lpotter]

Re: Aluminum Boat Transom Repair, question about how to get it out

Do you have any recent photos or photos of the rest of the boat?