Inside transom glass

I got the transom mostly done this week. 

I had a slight twis in the back. It was 1/8-1/4" out of square with the back deck at the transom. I built an elaborate strap system that allowed me the pull one side forward with my Prussik rope. Bolted to the wall in the back, so I could run a Prussik rope to pull that corner back. In ran a 20' nrs strap thru that bow loop pulling off anchor points in the floor to keep the boat where it was. I ran a side pull strap to the corner that had to go forward. Sideways pull helped align the transom  with the panel along the side panel joint. Lastly, I bolted a few pieces off wood to the ceiling joists to allow me to use spreader claps to push the transom corner down. Worked good. I got it pretty darn close. 

Weather in the high 20s allowed me to heat the shop and get this final layup done on the hull. The transom was originally made with joined 5/8 corecell. With only glass on one side it still seemed flexy. I don't know if ill ever hang a motor off the back but I decided to just build it so I could down the line. Cored the bottom transom with a smaller 3/4" coosa board piece. This creats a ledge that the back deck sits on for support. The top got a full width piece of coosa. I noticed all the commercial drift boat companies really beef up the transom tops to allow a good mounting point for a motor. I thought about hollowing sections to core with plascore for weight savings, but decided the small pieces wouldent save much in weight but would take a lot of time. 

Layup on the bottom of transom is s glass scraps between coosa and foam. Over top it's 12oz biax tape at side panel transom joint/s glass/12oz biax/10oz

On the top of transom is 6 oz between coosa and foam. Over top it's 12oz biax tape at side panel transom joint/10oz/12oz biax/6oz. The transom may get some 1/2 hardwood plates too. Haven't decided. There definatly will be a nice grab handle at the top of the transom. And a nice arc cut in the top.

Boat strapped in to square for last hull layup

Back deck dry fit on lower coosa  board support acting as a cleat

Clamping the top piece of coosa board in

Top layup in the bag.

Hull glass is done with the exception of a 6 oz layer to cover my mess up on the one side panel. That's probably a spring project. Well see...

Brr.

Its been cold here but construction has been ongoing. Here's more pics less talk

Bagging foam core for coring coamings and supports

Fitting decks, gutters and coamings

Dry boxes mostly assembled. Notice the grey strip of coosa board to mount hinges into

Fillet and taping drybox deck segments

Restored and sold my wooden drift boat. New paint and oil and lots of little fixes

Goodbye old friend

Then right back to building. Parts are stacking up everywhere but slowly finding homes

Gluing in rowers footwell floors and supports

Fitting back coamings with bulkhead in. Coamings are glued together. The footwell drybox has a removeable lid with a removeable level floor. Trying to establish a straight deck line that slopes gradually to the center of the boat.

Made one last small coaming for the front flyspeck drybox. All the other hatches were too big

Then I got bored and routed holes in the boat

Gluing in the rowers footwell

I need more clamps

Completed rowers footwell glued up with gutters and coamings

Now that it's -10 outside I had to move into the wood fired shop for a bit. Used my vacuum bag to core the hatch lids 2 at a time. Notice the coosa board coring to mount piano hinges into. Still no wood used on the boat. Top glass next, and hopefully the weather mellows so I can glass the transom inside and assemble the rest of the front and rear of the boat. The rest may have to wait for better weather in the spring. Running out of parts to make here so the end is in sight