TOPIC: help! rotten transom

hi all!, wanting to restore family boat, 1963 slickcraft, had a weak floor, though no problem can handle that, removed everything, decided to cut a section out, and actually no wood left. anyway, stuck my hand up around drain hole, transom wet, soft, drilled a couple of test holes have way up the transom and wet! So, it appears to me to remove transom, deck will need to be removed? anyone will experience please give me your thoughts! please.

Hello Baja, to me it looks like you can cut the inside fiberglass out and sneak the old wood out and new wood in without pulling the deck off. It would save you a lot of time. However if you take the deck off, you may be able to wiggle the out transom out without cutting the fiberglass. Hope it helps and good luck.

i don't mind taking the deck off, or actually if could just push forward, but is there a trick to removing the rub rail in order to get the screws that attach the deck?

Yup. Here's what you do.
Take a large screwdriver, start from the end of the rubber insert and pry it out. Once started they usually pull out easily. If not, use a heat gun and gently just warm the rubber up and it will pull out by hand. Screws are underneath that rubber part.
Good luck.
Before you remove the upper deck it would be wise to brace the inner sides port to starboard with some boards otherwise the shell will spread and putting the top back on becomes a nightmare.