Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

[craignorton]

Gaps (some around 3/8") are between the boat transom skin and the plywood. What are my options?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

How thick did you make the new transom wood?

Right of hand I would say your skin is buckling and you may not have made your new transom piece wide enough to stretch the skin tight to be flush wood.

Some pictures of your dilemma would really help us help you.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

Some the Woodonglass patented badass 2x4 clamps might help your situation.

 

[craignorton]

Re: Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

Hi. Don't have a pic unfortunately but the wood for the transom is cut to the proper length and width. Before I installed the plywood I used a 2 foot level as a straight edge, laying it against the transom skin (vertically on the inside of the boat) and swept it in an arc and saw the gaps. I don't remember the transom or stern of the boat springing out when the cap was removed. I can rig up clamping stuff (thanks to iboats) and use a wack load of PB to adhere the skin to the plywood or should a person PB the gaps first, let it dry, then install plywood so the plywood is being applied against a smooth flat service with no stress on the hull?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

Pics PLEASE!!!!

 

[craignorton]

Re: Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

I have a few pics of the transom skin that shows my gaps when I run a level around on the inside skin. I'm thinking from what I've been reading on here that I should PB the transom skin, PB the transom plywood, install same and clamp the y'know outta her. One other thing, I'm gonna go through the existing holes in the transom skin (drain holes, mounting holes for trim pump etc.), and place 3/8" and 1/2" poly tubing inside the holes first, then slide bolts through the tubing and 2x4's and tighten. After setting I 'should' be able to remove the bolts easily (insert snicker here), and then simply drill out the poly tubing. Is this gonna work, or have I reinvented the wheel?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

I would Not recommend trying to predrill your holes prior to installing the transom. I would put plastic over the outerskin holes and tape them closed. I would recommend using clamps like these....You only need to apply enuf clamping pressure to get some squeeze out of the PB, but not so much that you starve the joint. After it drys you can then redrill your holes, this will ensure proper alignment and NO slippage.

 

[craignorton]

Re: Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

W.O.G. clamps worked like a hot @#$%! Transom is in and almost filleted? in. I will be placing 18oz. cloth/mat (actually similiar to the 1708 but instead at a 90 degree cross stitch rather than the 1708 45 degree). I have seen the image of how to make up the transom, but I was wondering if I need to tab the transom in, or just add the cloth and overlap the hull 4-6 inches? Seems redundant to tab and then apply cloth with an overlap to the hull.

 

[craignorton]

Re: Help! When I place the plywood in the transom there are significant gaps.

I was hoping someone would know of a "cheap" way of protecting the gelcoat while it is drying. I am using unwaxed polyester resin for painting, and covering up all the painted areas with wax paper and tape is getting old fast. Is there a spray or something else a person can use instead of the method I'm doing? Once the area is covered that has been painted the gelcoat dries to a tackless surface. Any ideas out there?