Best pourable transom replacement product?

[caver101]

I have a 2001 Alumicraft 1860CC welded hull and the transom is starting to get soft. No real way to put coosaboard back in there without completely cutting the rear of the boat apart and lots of rewelding. Only reasonable option I can find would be Arjay, CarbonCore, or Seacast pourable products. I'll have to pour an approximate 80"x16"x1.75" void once I get the wood out of the old transom. Anyone here got first hand experience with these products? Do you like one product better than the other? Open to any helpful advice or other options.

 

[caver101]

Update 11/02/23: The lady at Seacast was about the most unhelpful and unprofessional person I have dealt with over the phone in a very long time. I emailed inquiring about issues with pouring the new core and then welding the aluminum cap or skin back on the top of the transom. How would their product handle that or if they advise against that. Never could give me a strait answer. Working with CarbonCore/CarbonBond this morning to see what their product is capable of.

 

[Stand Up]

This is interesting. A pour-able transom. I would have never given it any thought.
I hope you are able to find such a product. And I don't see why there wouldn't be a good product for this and many other uses.

 

[caver101]

Second update for 11/02/23: Talked with CarbonBond fella. Nice guy, but their website will not calculate shipping charges and you have to call them and do a CC over the phone (even though the website says they take paypal they will not take paypal over the phone). Two buckets and shipping ($180! for shipping) turns out to be about $700 delivered for their product. $525 for the product and $180 for shipping. While I knew this would be a pricey project this is making the transom replacement near $1000 with the additional aluminum I am adding. Going to have to step back and reevaluate how I want to do this now. Any options or ideas?

 

[MDCrappie]

I'm wondering who it is that you would be able to "pour" liquid into transom, but unable to "slide" a piece of wood in? How are you getting the wood out? Can't you just cut the top cap off, drill out the wood and then slide a new piece in? Just like you would with a fiberglass boat?

Pics would help us understand.

 

[Challenger]

I used this on my Lowe 1448 and it is one investment I don't regret. Easy to cut to size with a circular saw and instalation was a breeze. Very solid and no flex. Here's mine. Link below.



Transom Replacement

 

[DaleH]

FWIW I used the CarbonCore when I poured my transom many years ago, It was heads & tails a superior product over Seacast. Details are in my Signature post of the 16' StarCraft.

 

[Al U Minium]

Would like to see pictures of your progress

 

[caver101]

Good info guys!

Here is photos of my hull. When the pods were welded on there are stainless bolts under them (4 on each side I think) that are no longer accessible. The other end of those bolts are in the sealed flotation foam in the corner of the hull. Then the corner cap brace is welded in place over top of all of this. I was hoping to only cut the top off the transom along the open area that is folded over the wood core, remove wood with long drill bit, then pour the core, then weld that 2" wide cap back on top. Hoping to never have to remove the corner cap/brace or have to open the foam floatation compartment on each corner of the transom inside the hull. Don't want to cut open the float pods to access the head of the bolts either. Pourable seemed like the easiest solution, but dang I am looking at $750+ for 10 gallons.

 

[caver101]

This photo shows a little more of what I am thinking about doing. Input? Advise?

 

[LaqueRatt]

Almost seems like you could mix up a few batches of fiberglass resin with chopped up cloth and ram it down in there. That sure is a lot of money to spend on some kinda glue-goo.

 

[caver101]

Almost seems like you could mix up a few batches of fiberglass resin with chopped up cloth and ram it down in there. That sure is a lot of money to spend on some kinda glue-goo.

Your right. I am second guessing how I want to fix it due to the cost.

 

[MrGiggles]

I haven't really heard of it being used on aluminum boats. It's more geared for glass boats, where replacing the transom requires an extreme amount of labor. Although in your case, I don't think it's a bad solution if you could get all the wood out. With that four stroke and the jack plate, you need a lot of strength back there.

Are there any boat repair shops close to you that might carry or be able to order the liquid and save you the shipping?

Whoever buried a wooden transom in that mess needs a punch in the face.

If the float pods are the only hold up, it wouldn't be a huge deal to cut a 4" hole in them for access and have a welder patch them back up, shouldn't cost much. Perhaps you could cut the hole in the top side and add a threaded waterproof porthole there for future access, they are available in many sizes and are pretty inexpensive, may come in handy later as it allows you backside access for installing transducers and such.

 

[MDCrappie]

Like MrGiggles says above, screw-in deck plate in those pods for access. $30 for a pair

https://www.amazon.com/337145-1-Scr...ords=sea+dog+deck+plate&qid=1699091209&sr=8-1

 

[LaqueRatt]

I wonder if this stuff would work for you? It dries mighty hard!

https://www.amazon.com/Evercoat-Fibreglass-1189-Strand-Reinforced/dp/B000P72GKK

 

[freeisforme]

Seacast or similar isn't ideal for an open transom like that. Its best used for enclosed cavities were it's easier to contain during the pour.
The way I see it is that the wood in there has lasted all these years, and if you put back wood with any sort of protection, it'll likely out last you or the rest of the boat.
The amount of labor to set up to do Seacast pour, vs just putting wood back in there, even if it means replacing a 500 or so rivets, is far more work, and far greater expense in the end.
Seacast works great on glass boats that would otherwise needed to be evasively gutted or structurally cut apart to repair otherwise, or boats with the wood more exposed to the elements or constant bilge water.
Its not really a sensible option on aluminum. It also may or may not be tested for contact with all aluminum alloys for corrosion either.

 

[thill]

I have used Seacast many times, and the product itself is excellent. It really is a lifetime product. I'm surprised that you found them unprofessional, as I have dealt with them for many years, and found the opposite to be true.

IF you use Seacast, you must find and tape up every pinhole, every gap and every hole before pouring, or it will seep out. That being said, once you do that, you will have a lifetime transom.

I have never used Seacast on an aluminum boat. What I have used is Schedule 40 square aluminum pipe stacked and welded together. This is what some of the premium manufacturers use, and it will last as long as the boat. Here is a pic of mine:



This wasn't my idea, by the way, but I adopted it, and absolutely love how solid and permanent it is. I will do this on every boat that I can from now on.

Whatever you use, I hope you have good success.

 

[jlake1958]

I have used Seacast many times, and the product itself is excellent. It really is a lifetime product. I'm surprised that you found them unprofessional, as I have dealt with them for many years, and found the opposite to be true.

IF you use Seacast, you must find and tape up every pinhole, every gap and every hole before pouring, or it will seep out. That being said, once you do that, you will have a lifetime transom.

I have never used Seacast on an aluminum boat. What I have used is Schedule 40 square aluminum pipe stacked and welded together. This is what some of the premium manufacturers use, and it will last as long as the boat. Here is a pic of mine:

View attachment 117839

This wasn't my idea, by the way, but I adopted it, and absolutely love how solid and permanent it is. I will do this on every boat that I can from now on.

Whatever you use, I hope you have good success.

This is brilliant. I wonder if I could find a 1993 vintage transom template for my Lund tyee. I'm going to investigate this. I want to do wood but have heard the copper in the better sealants will interact with your boat skin causing corrosion. Any thoughts or experience regarding this corrosion. Of course the square tube aluminum would have no such problem.

 

[thill]

You really don't need a special template, you should be able to just hold it up to the outside. Or, better yet, make it a bit big, weld it together, and then cut to size with a circular saw with a 60 tooth blade or a jigsaw. I'm super happy with my solid aluminum transom.

They sell them on TinyBoatNation, but there may be a sponsor on this site that sells them, too. Make a post in the boat forum and see if you get any replies.

 

[Challenger]

You really don't need a special template, you should be able to just hold it up to the outside. Or, better yet, make it a bit big, weld it together, and then cut to size with a circular saw with a 60 tooth blade or a jigsaw. I'm super happy with my solid aluminum transom.

They sell them on TinyBoatNation, but there may be a sponsor on this site that sells them, too. Make a post in the boat forum and see if you get any replies.

I posted about the Tiny Boat Nation transom kit in post #6. I am very happy with it and highly reccomend it.