A primer coat is sometimes required by fiberglass layering. You then have to cut away the top of the stringer. Measure the thickness of your transom. Our Fill-It™ dries just off white and smoothes nicely. Use a clamp to press the plywood after you add it to ensure adherence.
Damage can be confirmed by drilling 3/16″—7/32″ (5mm) -diameter inspection holes into the core at the suspected delamination. You must get rid of the mold! The thickness of the outer and inner fiberglass skins and the position and depth of the stringer must all be recorded. Step 4: Refining your work. Exercise appropriate caution. The wise skipper will apply CPES™ generously to every hole whenever a screw or bolt is removed. The schematic (right) shows steps for inner skin removal. How to reinforce a fiberglass boat transom and bow. The lamination schedule for each boat will vary, but in general, you will be looking to build up to the original thickness. Apply unthickened epoxy to all of the plywood segments, especially the end grain around the perimeter of each piece, before applying thickened epoxy. This moisture can even reach the transom skin at hardware fasteners.
Below is the core with a fillet of epoxy putty all around (Note: the stringer should have been cut off at least 10" forward of the transom). Step 3: Mix resin and hardener while paying attention not to create bubbles due to too much movement while you are doing this. Because of the boat's various designs, you may need a tool to cut through the external skin of the fiberglass. This is because standing water magnifies pressure and stress on the transom. First, you can use fiberglass tape to reinforce the seam where the transom and hull meet. A little more about Biaxial Cloth: Biaxial Cloth is available in several weights. After the interior is dry, inject the CPES™ into the holes, recapture excess at the drain hole, and re-inject. Ten years of enjoying countless trips on boats never made me love them any less! 5) Using our injection kit or ketchup dispenser or something similar, squirt the inside of the stringer with our CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer). Water on the floors leaks through and gets into the stringers. Place polyethylene plastic sheeting between weights and skin). Heat applied to the outer skin may help. If all sources of water are eliminated by sealing the wood in epoxy, the repair should be better than new and last indefinitely. How to reinforce a fiberglass boat transom repair. Basically what you do is drill access holes in the top of the stringer 5 to 7 inches apart, allow the wood inside to dry (or blow dry it), treat with CPES™ injections, and then fill all voids with Layup & Laminating Resin™.
Due to its highly fluid consistency, the CPES™ is going to reach wood that a thick epoxy resin cannot. But if you're making changes, adjustments on the core thickness are necessary. Getting new wood into areas that is above the mounting holes will involve bedding it in our Fill-It™ epoxy filler (after CPES™ treatment, of course) and propping it in place for 24 hours until the filler cures. Should probably be replaced as well. Longitudinal Reinforcement: Longitudinal reinforcement is extremely important for boats over 16 feet. In general the lighter the cloth the easier it will be to wet out and work with, but this will also mean many more layers to build up a desired thickness. The new core can be either made in one piece, then bonded into the hull, or you may laminate one layer at a time into the hull. I'll explain the process we used for replacing the transom to provide some direction on tackling similar projects. How to Reinforce a Fiberglass Boat Transom | Powerful 10 Ways (2023. The skin may be stuck on areas of sound wood core. Bed everything back in place. The object is to give you a new floor that will withstand future water saturation without rotting out again. Will Charpentier is a writer who specializes in boating and maritime subjects. Laminate the repair patch with multiple layers of fiberglass and epoxy until the dished out cavity is full. Repeat this process until the fiberglass repair is level and even with the rest of the transom.
This may take two applications to get a smooth final fill. If you're using red oak, try to match the new core's thickness to the old plywood. It is possible to leave the top of the plywood un-glassed, as the CPES™ and Layup & Laminating Resin™ will now pretty much waterproof and substantially protected from any future rot problems, but only it the top glass is not required for structural stiffness. AN EASIER ALTERNATIVE…. Home made tools similar to a grub hoe or an adz can be used to remove the stubborn perimeter areas. Step 4: Install New Plywood Core. For example, a 3″ stagger will be required between joints when using 3/8″ plywood. How to reinforce a fiberglass boat transom brackets. Stringers and Supports. If the top skin bond is completely broken, the cutout will drop out. Unless you have plenty of time to allow for drying, you are better off replacing all the core. 2 of the WEST SYSTEM manual, Wooden Boat Restoration & Repair (free download). All Florida Sportsman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Replacing a transom on a fiberglass boat is a job best left to a professional. How does the water get into the transom?
You have to be thorough so every part holds well. The thick epoxy resin you use for a partial fill must be simple to use, very slow-setting, strong and slightly flexible-which pretty much describes our Layup & Laminating Resin™. Occasionally decks and cabin sides will delaminate from the core. How to Reinforce a Fiberglass Transom for Outboard Engine Br. To prepare for paint, tape off the transom along the edge of the corners to keep paint off of the sides of the boat.
NOTE: We recommend the last 8"-10" of the stringers be completely removed, in this case the stringer was not cut back far enough to be ideal. Rot Repair to Inaccessible Wood in Engine Mounts. You have to apply it to the entire surface of the plywood. Using a turkey baster, flow pure mixed Layup and Laminating Resin™ into the holes. Transom Replacement With a Plywood Core : 9 Steps (with Pictures. Glue the skin in place using the same laminating techniques previously described. When you are finished, your transom should have the appearance of an empty envelope, waiting to be filled with reinforcing material. Of course, there's always the ad hoc lets-put-it-off solution, and the third picture shows you what a through-bolted piece of aluminum plate can do. 10-foot measuring tape. Many of you will elect to repair the core without removing the deck skin. Two-part epoxy (resin and hardener). For best results, and especially for extensive rot, do the extra work, and get to the core of the transom from the top or inside.
Fill low spots with thickened epoxy and recoat as necessary to seal exposed fiberglass and sanded low-density fillers. The product of choice here is CPES™ (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer). Put another sheet of plywood behind the splash well. Install the new core. Hardpoints allow you to bolt your engine on firmly and securely, which will help out a lot with any rough water riding. Then the Layup & Laminating Resin can be applied. This was only the third time the boat had sailed in 30 years and the first hard sailing since my six-year-long restoration. Use the drill to drill the appropriate holes through the plywood, as indicated by the access holes in the outer transom skin.