transom penetrations

Posted By: Marty Chafkin
Date: 6/22/08 5:18a.m.

Report: outside forum guidelines

In Response To: Be careful with this type of project (Barry)

Yes, Ed, you were the inspiration. I kept your photo on my computer desktop this winter, until I could do the project. Barry, the PO had reinforced the transom with a thin plate of bent, painted steel that wrapped around from the outside to the inside of the lower part of the opening. None of the original screw holes were below the water line, but the plate was not caulked or sealed in any way so some water did penetrate. I removed his plate and drilled out the screw holes until I found dry wood. I drilled over-sized holes for my plate and then filled all the holes with thickened epoxy. I re-drilled the holes for my plate and buttered the whole thing with 3m 4200, before bolting it on. The stainless verticals provide extra support for the torsion load created by the motor. In an ideal world, the verticals would be rotated 90 degrees, in plan, and welded to the outer plate. But there wasn't much to attach them to. I suppose, in hindsight, that they should be angles, rather than plate. Maybe, next year. Ugly? I don't know. Perhaps. It doesn't bother me, but then, I rather like the look of hardware. I was worried about the strength of the transom on my 1976, new -to-me sailboat, so it is possible that I overdid it. It's not permanent and I'm always open to other solutions to the problem. Perhaps I could have done something in fiber glass. Maybe remove that part of the transom and redo it in solid fiberglass, but I do not have much experience in fiberglass, so I would have had to hire a pro. Is there something else that I could have done that was easier or better? I often miss the obvious... Thanks for the comments everyone. Smooth sailing and great weather.