New member, old boat question.

[Tucker1968]

Hello all, new member, long time lurker. First I'd like to say I'm impressed with the knowledge on this forum. Very impressive. I'm not new to boats or boating. Bought my first boat at the age of 12 with paper route money. 12ft Aluminum Craft, 5 hp Mercury. Then came a Sea Raider 14ft 50 Mercury, 19 foot Hallett jet, 18 foot, 18 Kona jet, 18ft Sutphen Grand Sport jet, Baja Bandit, Pontoon Boat, Chris Craft Riviera 20 ft 1950, 1952 19 ft Chris Craft Holiday, Eliminator Sport Cruiser Jet, Baja 240 Sport and the latest purchase is a 1987 Chris Craft Scorpion 210. My question concerns transoms. This boat is need of one. My question is this, I'd like something that looks 'high end' when I'm finished. Some thing different than just a painted grey/white flat surface. Years ago my dad was friends with a guy who owned a Schiada. Inside engine compartment the transom looked like a parquet floor. This image has never left my mind. How did they do that? Veneer glued to the plywood with epoxy resin on top? Any ideas would be welcomed. Thanks.

 

[Baylinerchuck]

We’ve seen this type of a core when the transom is curved or irregular. These are glassed over to provide strength as the cut pieces glued together by themselves would have no strength and would break apart. Going through all this work AFTER installing a proper transom seems like a lot of work for no real gain. The only time I’m really looking in my bilge is to check oil and regular end of season maintenance. But that’s just me.

 

[eggs712]

I bet that nice bilge was a molded part that was glued in or it took a LOT of sanding.

 

[briangcc]

The Shiada's are open engine compartments....big blocks, lots of chrome, headers, etc. Everything is seen in that "jewelry box" if you will. So attention was paid to everything.

Your Scorpion has an enclosed/covered engine compartment that will generally be seen when doing maintenance. Are you doing boat shows where the boat will be docked for hours on end with the engine cover up? Or are you doing away with the sunpad altogether?

I ask as that seems to be an awful lot of work for something that is rarely going to be seen otherwise.

IF I had to have it....I'd epoxy the parquet to the finished transom then coat with liberal applications of epoxy or spar finish to waterproof the exposed wood.

 

[aspeck]

I will second what Brian said.

 

[Tucker1968]

The Shiada's are open engine compartments....big blocks, lots of chrome, headers, etc. Everything is seen in that "jewelry box" if you will. So attention was paid to everything.

Your Scorpion has an enclosed/covered engine compartment that will generally be seen when doing maintenance. Are you doing boat shows where the boat will be docked for hours on end with the engine cover up? Or are you doing away with the sunpad altogether?

I ask as that seems to be an awful lot of work for something that is rarely going to be seen otherwise.

IF I had to have it....I'd epoxy the parquet to the finished transom then coat with liberal applications of epoxy or spar finish to waterproof the exposed wood.

The engine hatch will remain. I was thinking of going the epoxy route. I just wasn't sure it was feasible. I like details and contrasts and am not above showing off my work at at a local show. Thanks for your reply.

 

[briangcc]

Feasible...sure....

But...you'd have to pull off anything mounted on the transom to make the install easier. Then if you're going that far, might want to dress up/loom the wiring. Seems to be a never ending rabbit hole and I'm not sure the reward is there for all that work. Then there's the maintenance to keep it looking clean. That's a big ask.

**Coming from a classic car guy so take it for what its worth.

 

[Bondo]

My question is this, I'd like something that looks 'high end' when I'm finished. Some thing different than just a painted grey/white flat surface. Years ago my dad was friends with a guy who owned a Schiada. Inside engine compartment the transom looked like a parquet floor. This image has never left my mind. How did they do that? Veneer glued to the plywood with epoxy resin on top?

Ayuh,...... It's my guess that you were seein' a layer of end-grain balso, through the fiberglass,.....
End-grain balsa is used in hulls, as a strengthener/ bulker/ filler,....
It does look like parquet floorin',... but is usually covered by gelcoat or paint,...

Probably the kinda project to take on when doin' a motor out full on refit,....

 

[todhunter]

Ayuh,...... It's my guess that you were seein' a layer of end-grain balso, through the fiberglass,.....
End-grain balsa is used in hulls, as a strengthener/ bulker/ filler,....
It does look like parquet floorin',... but is usually covered by gelcoat or paint,...

Probably the kinda project to take on when doin' a motor out full on refit,....

Agree. End-grain balsa coring is what he likely was seeing.