Rebuilding Transom In A Glassmaster

[hch]

This Is A Old I/o Boat And I'm Going To Put A 200 Outboard On It.the Transom Is In Good Shape But I Know It Want Support The Motor.i Want To Build Me A 2" Thick Aluminum Transom And Fiberglass It To The Inside.also Plan On Putting Aluminum Stringers In And Glassing Them To The Bottom And Welding Them To The Transom. Sounds Good To Me, But I'm Not A Boat Buider, I'm A Dirt Mover.
But My Questions Are Will The Aluminum Be Strong Enough After I Glass Them In? And Can You Get A Boat To Rigid?
Also Plan To Mount The Motor Approx. 18" Off The Back.
Thanks Chris.

[gonzo]

Attaching a very rigid structure to a flexible one creates structural problems. The standard transom has two 3/4" layers of plywood glassed over. There are other materials that can also be used, like foam and end grain balsa. Fiberglassing to aluminum is a problem too. It may be possible with epoxy and Dynell cloth to get a fair bond.

[jimslade]

use wood , its alot easier to work with and you will avoid structural complications.

[hch]

will 2" transom be enough glassed in to the existing which i understand does not apply to a outboard very well.

[gonzo]

What does it look like know?

[hch]

transom is in excellent shape and is very solid. looks to be about 1 1/2 to 2" thick. my idea looks like now is to laminate 3 pcs. of 3/4 plywood together and install that inside and tie it in very heavy to the corners.

[gonzo]

The transom is OK now. 1 1/2 to 2" is standard. If you make it thicker it will give you all kinds of trouble with the rigging.

[hch]

some people have told me that the transom is not strong enough because it was a i/o. i really was'nt sure myself , but did'nt want to take any risk.

[buckknekkid]

this is where you need some wood in the transom