How hard is it? Is it worth doing on a 78 model boat? How safe?? Who could?? Cost, etc????
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How hard is it? Is it worth doing on a 78 model boat? How safe?? Who could?? Cost, etc????
I would think difficulty would depend on the type and model of your boat and your proficiency with and access to hand tools.
You just have to figure if it's worth the hassle to you.
If I really liked the boat or I just couldn't afford a new boat, personally I would fix it. You will probably have to make some modifications along the way.
Make a template of your transom before you rip the old one out. If all possible take it outwhol;e. When you replace the wood sel all the edges so the water can not get inside the wood. Really not that hard to do a couple of hours at most depending upon how hard itls to get the old one out. Make and type of boat would help. When you replace the transom use new stainless steel screws. A couple of sheets of plywood, glued and screwed and your good to go.
Home can make you a custom transom if you need a heavy duty one. Go over to The Aluminum boat modification site! for help if you need it.
Years ago I replaced mine in a old wood boat. They are not hard to do if you have done any wood working and have the right tools. Mine worked like a charm.
It's in a 78 Johnson Bass Hawk, 17 ft fiberglass bass boat with a 150 evinrude hanging off it. If it were an aluminum or wood boat I'd be willing to try it, I'm sure I could get something rigged up but I have NO IDEA how to go about it in a fiberglass boat.
Is there some form of braceing in the sides or is it just a couple inches of plywood sandwitched between two pieces of fiberglass????
I don't know that I would attempt something that involved for the '78 boat. After 30 years if the transom is rotten, I would suspect other areas are also starting to get soft also. Especially if you want to hang a 150hp off the back of it. You will need bracing to the sides and to the hull for a new transom. Bottom Line: I think the project would cost more than the boat is worth at this point.
I have to agree. Reasonably good older hulls without motors sell surprisingly cheap. It might hurt to spend the money, but you are probably just going to spend the same amount $20 at a time fixing the hull you have.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bombfixer
BBC has a Bass Boat restoration forum with several folks who have replaced transoms and a whole lot more. Check it out Here
If you decide to proceed with replacement, make ding dang sure you know what your doing and over build rather than underbuild. A 150 hp motor is more than sufficient to get you killed painfully from a transom failure from some area you guessed at. Hate to be a doomsayers but you need to make sure it's done right.
Also, check out what west marine has to offer in guidance an materials. Got a buddy that redid a 24' walk around using a deal that he basically mixed and poured in from the top. Course, his stringers and knee braces where intact and had access to prove it.
Wannabe...
check into seacast.com they show you how
Buckeye
I did my old 17GT bass hawk 2 years ago the transoms rotting were those boats down fall, it can be done but is going to be a job took me a week and about 300.00 bucks be sure to rebuild it with some sort of chair or atleast some gussets the stock transom had no support. I had an 115 merc on a jackplate hanging on there and she was a pistol to hang on to over 50 on the gps.
I had mine replaced a year ago and paid a bunch for it to be done by the pro's a couple of towns over. Lots of folks will tell you they can do it, and it's not all that hard in theory, but as Wannabe said, if it isn't done right it can be a nightmare and wasted money. If your boat has an upper and lower hull, they have to be separated before anything is done. All the boxes had to be ground loose and reglassed after, motor disconnected and removed. Gel coat work to make it look good is also needed. Done right, it's a big job and pretty involved. Replacing the hull is a good idea but keep in mind that there's no guarantee that it isn't in the same shape unless evaluated by a pro or you educate yourself to know what to look for. You can take a pocket knife or small hammer and begin tapping on the top corners of the transom and radiate out from there, listening for change in the pitch of the sound. Solid transoms have a solid sound, soft or delaminated ones have a dull thump. That's just basics. It might be worth your while to find a pro that you trust and run it by them for a look see. Here's a pic of mine at its fully disassembled worst. I don't regret the money for a second, and all the other wood was solid so it's a good thing. My gel coat was excellent so it was worth putting the money into an '88 hull.