Transom on Champion...

[bassingaround]

Ok guys, my good ole transom rotted away in my 203 champion and now I'm digging out some wood... I wondered about replacing the wood with Seacast and then I think about the original way for much less..
Anyway, could I use marine plywood and fill in the gap with the gallon of bondo fiberglass premixed that they sell at autozone? 10 gallons of seacast will be around 500.00 and the cost of bondo would run me around $100 to do this job and the price of wood...

Can I use Bondo Fiberglass premixed?

Open for suggestions: ANYONE found an easy way to remove old wood?

[basshnter1]

I wouldn't use any Bondo brand product on anything I cared about.

[arjone01]

First off with the stress that a transom endures you don't want to skimp in any way. The only way to repair the transom using wood is the right way; remove the top cap and build from the inside securing it to the stringers and laminating it to the back skin. If you don't have that bond you transom will still flex and eventually fail. By the time you look at the cost of doing it with Marine grade plywood (only use marine grade in the transom as it has less defects), proper resin (not the stuff from wal mart) and mat your looking right down the barrel at the same price and a bigger job.

There are only two correct ways to rebuild a transom, with wood the correct way or with the seacast system. I know that bondo stuff you're talking about, I used it to patch some holes and use it as filler from the damage around my transom, that stuff doesn't even compare to the rigidity of seacast. You can try as your saying but you'll just have more issues and a potential hazard down the road.

[sarmst100]

How do you remove the cap on a 203? I know mine is bonded to the hull with some type of adhesive plus its riveted around the rub rail.

[bassingaround]

Here are some pics of the inside transom...

[northrivergeek]

DO NOT USE BONDO !!!!! You will die , at the very least you will loose your motor in the LAKE !!!!!! Bondo has no strength is a filler ONLY!!!! Seacast is not bondo .. nothing like bondo

Either seacast or remove the top, and do it right!

The caps are all the same .. pop rivets and or screws hold the top to the bottom.
Then under all the edges most have patches of fiberglass, some have many many many patches holding the top to the bottom.. bullets and shadows are bad about this.
And a few used epoxy to glue the top cap to transom, most didnt do it long when the had a warranty issue they had to fix and could get the top off anymore.

Plan on spending more than 500 to remove the cap, cause chances are if transom is bad so is stringers, your going to spend at least 500 on wood, fiberglass and epoxy or polyester resin, and other supplies

PM Me your email address and I will send you a pdf book on replacing transoms

[bassingaround]

That book would be great.... Could you email it to me? prez@bassingaround.com

[StetsonBasser]

I just had a bad experience w/ Seacast. I redid my transom 2 years ago with mine... (16' Terry Bass boat w/ a 90 hp Force) Mine is junk already... the whole transom is flexing bad now (it was fine at first) I don't think it's a proper structural fix... the actual seacast itself is holding up fine, but it just isn't holding to the rest of the boat...
I wouldn't risk it... do it right. I can't use my outboard other than at just an Idle cause if flexes way too much.

[jerzia]

Just curious what signs did you notice that indicated a bad transom?

[bassingaround]

The inner brackets "transom savers" that go behind the bolts pulled thru the fiberglass and the motor went back almost 2 inches.....

[jerzia]

That's one way to tell!!!
Sorry for the bad news. Good luck in your restoration.

[httrdd007]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by northrivergeek &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
PM Me your email address and I will send you a pdf book on replacing transoms

</TD></TR></TABLE>

Do you have a link or can you scan me a copy? I am starting my transom soon too!

[BBain]

I am in the middle of starting my transom rebuild on a 1985 Hydro sport VL475. I would greatly appreciate it also if you emailed that to me. b_bain@q.com
Thanks a million. I have no clue (accept what I have found on here!) what to do.

[httrdd007]

Awesome information that is going to sav me in my original plans! Thanks a ton!

[northrivergeek]

No problem dude .. I wish I could find a way to offer a class on boat restoration. the best I can do for now is pass on info I have gathered to pass on to those who want to DIY

[bassingaround]

Thanks for all your help northrivergeek.... Couldn't have done it without your help.....

[CHawk17]

I know this is an old post but I would love a copy of that transom repair book also. I have an 84 Champ that needs transom and stringers.

[omcforever]

Bondo absorbs water like a sponge!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Either use polyester or epoxy(epoxy preferred-stronger and will not absorb moisture) and re-build it or use Sea cast(not a big fan -hard to tie into braces and stringers)

[Oldmean15]

I bought an older Mean 15 Champion in Aug 18 and I know it needs transom rebuild. The boat was totally stripped of everything and I mean everything. This will be my first project on rebuild. I could use some info on the transom and I need to also find the strip that holds the two halves together all the way around. Any and all help would be appreciated. Thanks

[javelin90]

+1 on marine grade plywood and using 45 degree glacial fiberglass cloth And epoxy resin. Use dry clean sawdust and when mixed is the proper way to join the stringers to the transom. Seacast is a good product however as previously stated, you need to secure the transom to the stringers. Not hard to do. If replacing the stringers get a oscillating tool and cut just above the glass where stringers adheres to the hull. When cutting new stringers make sure the boat is level and cut new ones from the pole stringers if they are still intact. Message me if I can be of help, Garland