In the middle of replacing a 40 year old transom. I already drilled out the old rivets removed the transom and primed the inside of the boat. I have a 1" marine plywood I cut two identical pieces and glued together for a beefier transom. My main concern is I'd like to do stainless bolts but electrolysis will be bad. Would an anode help. I can't find solid rivets I need or even aluminum bolts. Would this hold up for ten years at least?
TinBoats.net
The original aluminum boat site!
Transom repair
- Thread starter amk
- Start date
Help Support TinBoats.net:
Cover the shank of the bolt body with adhesive-lined heatshrink and use a good thick nylon fender washer under the head of the SS bolt. Grease up the threads well when you put on the nylok locking nut ... and you should be fine.
Galvanic corrosion is exacerbated in saltwater, but I have done many a bolt in or through aluminum this way. I ALWAYS prep the aluminum skin though, using the clean/sand/solvent wash, then zinc chromate acid etch ... but my hulls are painted. At least put a good quality marine grease under the washers that bear against the aluminum, to prevent water intrusion.
Another GREAT tip is to drill the hole through the marine ply 3/8" size, if using 1/4x20tpi bolts, and fill the hole with epoxy. I apply the std consistency, then add thickener to like viscosity of honey, then fill the hole (one side taped off w/ duct tape). When cured, drill through for the bolt body size needed. This leaves a permanent, waterproof 'plug' around the bolt to prevent water and moisture from wicking into the wood core. This is a MUST on any wood cored structural member!
Galvanic corrosion is exacerbated in saltwater, but I have done many a bolt in or through aluminum this way. I ALWAYS prep the aluminum skin though, using the clean/sand/solvent wash, then zinc chromate acid etch ... but my hulls are painted. At least put a good quality marine grease under the washers that bear against the aluminum, to prevent water intrusion.
Another GREAT tip is to drill the hole through the marine ply 3/8" size, if using 1/4x20tpi bolts, and fill the hole with epoxy. I apply the std consistency, then add thickener to like viscosity of honey, then fill the hole (one side taped off w/ duct tape). When cured, drill through for the bolt body size needed. This leaves a permanent, waterproof 'plug' around the bolt to prevent water and moisture from wicking into the wood core. This is a MUST on any wood cored structural member!
Thanks for the tips. I did as much prep work as I could stand. After three days of solid work and a few busted knuckles I got it finished and built a little rack for the front for flounder lights. It really turned out good. The transom height is about 17" which puts my 15" shaft outboard just below the point it would cavitate so I'm running shallow as possible without a tunnel.
Attachments
That's a cool setup.
When we going flounder giggin?
When we going flounder giggin?
