TOPIC: Not your average transom

Some major progress on the transom replacement for the Reinell Jetflite. The boat has been fairly difficult to take apart due to all the complex curves and at least 4 dozen screws, many rusted tight. I finally got the deck split, which was a challenge - due to the unique "step" in the hull joint.

I was able to remove the remains of the old transom without problems, thankfully. The stringers are made of 2X4 lumber; either redwood, or old growth Douglas Fir heart. Stringers are showing some surface softening, but are still very strong. Plywood floor is very solid with no soft spots. I want to just do the transom now & the restore rest some other time.

This is a rare boat (Perhaps 10 to 15 currently known to exist) & these may be the only pictures you'll ever see of one torn apart.

Hopefully, I'll have it back on the water this June. The boat is too Nice of an original to restore right now.

Bruce

Hats off to you Bruce.
I really like your attitude toward this classic. She is a gem that is for sure. Thanks for the pics.
Neil

Bruce, my stringers and floor are the same condition as yours.. good to hear you, with your experience, are taking a similar appraoch to what a novice like me was planning on taking.. and thanks as well for the photos, its pretty interesting, outside of shape, the transome is very similar to my lake n sea, down to how the rear 'louvers' are incorperated into the transom (hollow)

Question: Are you planing on filling the voids between the reinell 'louvers' and the wooden transom?

The recessed "tail light" ares of the transom had a thick layer of chop strand mat covering them that bonded the transom core to the hull. In this area. the outer edges of the transom had little rigidity because of the tail light voids behind it. I could fill the area with seacast, but I'm also thinking of glassing in a little brace much like a stringer inside the pockets. This then would bond to the transom core & transfer more of the loading to the outer hull where the tail lights are. Some would say it isn't needed, but what could it hurt? This boat has 100HP on it & the transom has to be as strong as possible. If you can utilize the structural area of the louvers on your Lake N' Sea, I encourage you to do it.

Take care,


Bruce

Bruce,
Beautiful boat, can't wait to see her done. I'd love to have one of those some day.

Bob

More progress-

Spent yesterday afternoon and early evening cutting out the template and making adjustments to the fit. Then I used a scrap of 3/8" ply to try the template with. Dry fit the 3/8" and made more adjustments. Then used the 3/8" as a template for the two layers of 3/4" MDO plywood. The MDO is my choice because it is high quality without insane cost. Marine ply would be even better, but for the money, it really isn't worth it, in my opinion. If the boat was plywood, I'd use marine. But the wood is just a core. MDO is designed to be used out in the weather & not fall apart. It does have some voids, but they are minimal & very small. It has a high number of plies similar to marine grade. Douglas Fir with phonelic resins. It's good stuff. I will seal the edges with penetrating epoxy, and will do the install with Vinylester laminating resin. The finished transom should be about 1-5/8" thick compared to the original 1-3/8" thick. I would go heavier, but the spashwell would have to be modified, and you do not hack up the deck of a Reinell Jetflite.

Bruce

I learn a lot every time I read one. One day I hope to restore a boat. I can appreciate how difficult and time consuming it is. Please keep the pictures coming.