# whats the best transom wood ?



## BCOWANWHEELS (Sep 20, 2013)

just got a 1964 starcraft alum fishing boat. its a 1 owner before me. nice little boat ! anyway the wood on the transome needs replacing as its original and I was wondering what is the best wood to replace it with. oak,mahognany or what ? I dont care obout being original I just want the best wood that weathers the best. I prefer to not use plywood.
thanks
bob in tn.


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## SumDumGuy (Sep 20, 2013)

I have heard of people using white oak.

However, I think a good ply is a better option.


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## Kismet (Sep 20, 2013)

EXTERIOR plywood, not treated. Then Spar poly coats on it.


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## BCOWANWHEELS (Sep 20, 2013)

white or red oak is plentiful here in e. tn. i,d have to buy a 4'x8' sheet of plywood to get the little i need and oak would be more cost effective and a whole lot stronger . thoughts ?


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## Kismet (Sep 20, 2013)

Go with what you got. Not a heck of a lot of difference in function. Ply is most often used for the durablility and economy. Just protect the wood. Your choices would be handsome.


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## dieselfixer (Sep 21, 2013)

I would not hesitate to use oak it has been used for centuries to build boats and ships, and it is hard to beat the look of a nice piece of oak. Put several coats of spar varnish on it and you will be good to go.


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## kfa4303 (Sep 21, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329951#p329951 said:


> Kismet » Yesterday, 21:03[/url]"]EXTERIOR plywood, not treated. Then Spar poly coats on it.




+1. Several layers of laminated plywood are actually much stronger than a solid piece of dimensional lumber. You cannot use pressure treated wood on an aluminum hull as it will cause pitting. Instead, use high quality exterior grade plywood and seal it. Most folks find that two layers of 3/4" plywood glued and screwed together is more than strong enough. You can then seal it by using spreadable 2-part epoxy (nice, but pricey and you usually have to order it), Spar Urethane (very good. available at lowes/HD), or even Quality exterior grade paint (I like Rustoleum Professional Oil Based Enamel). You'll then need to mount it to the hull using stainless steel hardware dipped in a bit of 3M 5200 marine caulk. That's really about it. You can get everything you need, except the epoxy, from lowes/HD. If you have a West Marine near by they will sell epoxy, if you want to go that route.


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## Colbyt (Sep 21, 2013)

IMO, oak weathers very well. I would still seal it the best I could.


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## BCOWANWHEELS (Sep 21, 2013)

had another brain storm.... look out fellas....... anyway I was thinking while I was rebuilding my transon I might as well "tune" it to my 18 hp evinrude by raising the engine up till its at its optimum operating height and I believe it will require making the transom abot 1-2 inches higher ( jack plate )somewhere between 16 & 17 inches, thoughts ? all this is in a 14 ft starcraft aluminum semi V fishing boat.


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## scoutb (Sep 22, 2013)

Of the two, white oak is far better for outdoor use than red oak. Cypress or cedar hold up well too, although cedar is pretty soft.


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## BCOWANWHEELS (Sep 22, 2013)

yes i agree on white oak,looks like the ticket. now I,am looking into the 4" setback jack plates. considering building my own or buying one like TSG, BOBS , TH MARINE ETC. I,d like to be able to run as shallow water as possible with the semi V and 18 rude. so all this needs to be engineered out before wood is bought.
thanks for all the thoughts. the more minds involved always the better end product.


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## kfa4303 (Sep 23, 2013)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=329994#p329994 said:


> BCOWANWHEELS » 21 Sep 2013, 17:43[/url]"]had another brain storm.... look out fellas....... anyway I was thinking while I was rebuilding my transon I might as well "tune" it to my 18 hp evinrude by raising the engine up till its at its optimum operating height and I believe it will require making the transom abot 1-2 inches higher ( jack plate )somewhere between 16 & 17 inches, thoughts ? all this is in a 14 ft starcraft aluminum semi V fishing boat.




Hi BCO. Yes, you can build a small transom riser to bring the motor to the correct height. I had to do the same thing with my '66 20hp, which is identical to your motor because it has an 18" leg, but boats of that vintage only have a 15" transom causing the motor to sit a little low in the water. Ideally, you want the anti-vent plate to be level, or slightly higher than the keel. I made my riser out of some aluminum angle and scrap lumber, but do a search here in the forums for lots of DIY jackplates and risers.


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## Ranchero50 (Sep 23, 2013)

I'd just buy a sheet of 1/2" ply and laminate it to make you transom and riser pieces. Use the rest for a floor and keep it simple.


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