Replacing floor,stringers, foam...

[newboater75]

Re: Replacing floor,stringers, foam...

I don't think it is a screw-on swim deck, looks to be made into the top.

okay, sounds pretty straight forward... user exterior-grade plywood... coat in resin; do I want to let the resin cure completely before installing? What do you recommend to "bind" the plywood together for the inside of the transom? Resin? if so, would that mean: cut the 1st piece (slightly big), trim to fit, repeat for additional layers, dry-fit... then to set in; do I, coat the inside of the exterior transom glass with resin, coat the 1st piece of ply, put it in, coat the outside (exposed side from the inside of the boat) with resin, then repeat for the additional layers? Then set up the inside "template" plate with wax coating, and clamp it all in? After setting up (i'm guessing 24-48 hours), remove template plate and glass the inside of the transom and the holes that remain open for parts? Is that right?? Or do you put the layers of the transom together before putting them in and "setting" them?

Thanks again for all your detailed assistance... really don't want to muk this up! Would it help if I posted, or linked, pictures of the inner-top of the transom so you can see how it would be to do the job w/out removing/loosening the top?

 

[newboater75]

Re: Replacing floor,stringers, foam...

I have the wood out of the transom now.... What do you use to "adhere" the new plywood to the outer skin? And, to put between the layers of plywood that make up the transom??

Do I coat each layer (front and back) before putting them in, or coat the inside of the outer skin, set in the 1st layer of plywood, coat that w/ resin, then put in the next layer of plywood, coat that w/ resin, then put in the final layer of plywood, then coat w/ resin and mat, then resin again, then cloth, then resin again???

What do I need to do to fill in the cracks around the sides and bottom of the plywood??

Also, to set in the stringers, do I just use resin? or, Fiberglass mat and resin (where the stringer meets the hull)??

 

[newboater75]

Installing new Transom...

Installing new Transom...

one more thing; should I let the resin "soak-in" the plywood before installing? (using poly)

 

[strizzy]

Re: Replacing floor,stringers, foam...

Sorry for the long delay, I am a scatter brain and school is kicking my ass right now.

I coat the wood entirely once and let cure, then when installing coat a second time ( I kind of cheat this by, coating just the edges, and then when I am about to lay it in the mat, I then coat side that will lay into it with resin.

For the transoms I did, I believe I used a 2oz mat, one layer of mat before the first piece of wood against the transom (resin in, roll out), wood coat with resin next, another layer of mat resin’d in and rolled, and then a last layer of wood. Finally, one last layer of mat. You can cut this last layer big if you want to tab into the hull, or tab with separate pieces. I recommend having a couple layers on the outside of all your wood, so when cure, follow up with a second piece of mat and tabbing.

You can either first assemble your wood before installing, or do it in the boat. Either way I think would work fine. Just wet and roll the mat first, then wet the wood face your about to sandwich before you lay it into the mat.

I am not sure what you’re referring to when you’re talking about the template piece. If you’re talking about the cut out for the transom plate/stern drive, just cut that all before installing (or assembling depending how you choose to go about it), don’t forget the cut for the steering is angled.

Depending on the size of the gaps you have (sides and bottom) will really depend on how you go about it. If you feel they are too large, mix up some thickened resin and fill in. If they’re just small then you should be fine (hell either way they’re probably smaller then what rolled out of the factory anyways).

With your stringers, depending on the fit, and just how they are in the boat, you can just glass them in, or you might want to set them in some thickened resin (if any doubt, or you want the overkill factor, this would be the safe bet).

It’s a good idea, specially with your stingers (possibly also where you tabbed in your transom) to follow up with a second layer of roven cloth on top of the already installed mat. There are several threads on this.

Hope this is helpful; let me know if you would like anything further described, or if I goofed on something... if anyone has taken an engineering materials science class, do you feel my pain?! Back to the grind…

Don’t forget to keep us updated with your project!

 

[phragle]

Re: Replacing floor,stringers, foam...

I just did the transom and part of the stringers last spring..was a lot of work but not that difficult, first use MARINE grade plywood, I dont care what the guy at home depot tells you..the reason your doing this now is prolly that the factory used cheap ply to save money building it. for the transom ..hope its REALLY rotten, that will make it easier... but use a die grinder with a cut off wheel and cut about 2 inches in from the sides all the way on the inside, peel the old glass off and start digging scraping and grinding all the old dead wood out, once its all out put an 80grit sanding disc on the die grinder and scuff up the inside of the transom and wipe everything down with acetone. now that the sucky part is done its time to build. get some stiff visqueen or other suitable material and make a reall good template so you can cut out your wood. also calculate any angles you may need to put in on the edges and also trace the drive cutout onto your template. now lay the template (or templates..my transom had 4 seperate pieces) on the plywood and trace..mercs like a 2" thick transom..remember this number..so cut two 3/4" MARINE ply pieces then epoxy them together. when dry add any bevels needed for angles then round all the edges real good. once thats done trace your drive cut out, but dont cut it out yet, just taks say a 2" hole saw and put a couple holes thru it safely inside the drive cutout (so you can stick pipe clamps thru em) then coat the whole shebang with a cuple coats of resin and let it soak in really good. now that thats done ..here comes the really fun part, gather 2 friends who owe you favors, and a few tupperware containers your resin hardner etc you will also need some chopped glass and a bunch of coidle silica or similar thikener/filler, now get up but early so you guys can get to work as its cool just as the sun comes up, rewipe down the exposed glass on the transom with acetone to make sure its CLEAN, then one friend starts mixing resin is fairly good size batches, adding chopped glass and filler untill its a consistancy between frosting and peanut butter and start spreading..work FAST if it kicks before your done your screwed..hence starting early wehen its cool, start spreading it on about a 1/16th thickonce its on stuff the wood in there (you did a trial fit to make sure it goes right in didnt you??) then put long 2x4's one each side as far up as you can and as far down as you can using pipe clamps and the holes you drilled and tighten it down good, there should be peanut butter ozzing out all around the edges if you did it right, wipe up excess (neat trick #237 using wax paper between 2x4's and boat will keep them from getting glued on from the excess resin spooge) once you have excess that squeezed out wipe the excess again nomatter how insignificant it seams (wiping is MUCH easier than grinding) now climb out of boat and give each friend a beer and open one yourself..your done for today..now on to tomorrow..hopefully your not too hung overmix up anoth batch of peanut butter and put a fillit around the edges ( a nice size one) because when you glass it in, glass doesnt like to make sharp bends. now comes the itchey and scratchy part, first layer will be matt, use your template but oversize it about 4 inches, cut 2 complete transoms of matt and two of cloth, once there cut, go in the boat and use some sandpaper to scuff everything again (always scuff if dry) then wipe down with acetonethen use cheapo 2 inch brushes , lay the matt up there and with the brush start 'stabbing' the resin into the matt, those excess 4 inches on each edge will get glued to the sides and bottom of the boat to 'tab' in the new transom, now as with any glass work your haulin ass right?? always work fastonce its all wetted in use the fiberglass roller to work out all the bubbles and get a good bondnow before that layer of matt gets completely dry, throm on a layer of cloth, the matt then cloth, let dry, once cure drill a small hole thru the new glass into the holes you made for the clamps and measure, keep adding layers until the complete transome thickness is between 2 and 2 1/8th and remember..if it dries you need to scuff it before gluing again. , and yes..no matter how carefull you are you will itch and get resin all over yourself.

about $5~600 in materials and several weekends of elbow grease, a handles of capt morgan and a couple cases of beer..definitly cheaper than paying 5,000 or more to have a shop do it plus if you take your time you will prolly do a BETTER job than a shop and it will definitly be better and stronger than what came from the factory plus you prolly just dpubled the resale value of your boat.