Swiftcraft 1500 runabout transom replacement

I apologise if this has been put in the wrong segment of the forum, but it seemed the most appropriate bit.

The basic question is whether you can usefully replace a transom with 3 crosspiees of solid timber epoxied together and fiberglassed over, or whether a single laminated transom of marine ply is better............

I have to replace the transom of my 15' ~1970 runabout, and extend it to mate with m new 1970 motor. I've dug out all the old stuff, from the inside, and am ready to go.

Looking at the boat and motor well, it will require a lot of good luck, and possibly the resection of the stringers in order to angle a new 40mm thick transom piece in there (which would be made from 3 x12mm, or 2x 19mm ply boards laminated together with fiberglass cloth between).

It struck me today that perhaps I could use 3 bits of solid timber approx 35mm thick and 200mm wide, to progressively do the transom, starting at the top, and working down, using epoxy to edge glue them, and fiberglassing over the whole unit at the end.

It would seem that the general consensus on the net about transom replacement is to use ply, glued to the appropriate thickness, however I don't understand why solid timber (eg oregon/douglas fir, local hardwood, or even treated pine) wouldn't work, and why you can't edge glue from the top down, as this would be a lot easier to do in my boat.

It's going to have a 115hp motor on it at the end.

? any thoughts would be welcome

 

You could do it with a full 1"+ lumber boards edge gluded and I would run 5-3/8" rods thru it bolted top and bottom and then back with a single piece of 3/4" or 1" marine or quality exterior plywood all epoxy adhesived together screwed and clamped for 2 days to dry. I would not just use lumber and forget about the ply but 1 layer lumber and 1 layer ply if it gives the thickness you need should work fine. Use a hardwood not a softwood .

 

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