Subject: Dan’s 1970 Cobra Transom Rebuild

All finished and ready to go.

Happy New year to all;
Just a line to let you know that I finally completed restoration of my transom using your fine products. Although it took me a little over a year, working at it in my very limited spare time, it was worth the wait and after about 10 years of dry dock I finally got my boat back in the water on Aug. 24, 2002. I got out onto Lake Erie a couple of times, but as the season was ending did not get a chance to do some real boating and skiing at our family cottage on a lake in northern Ontario. I am really looking forward to doing so this summer.

Thanks to your products I was able to restore my transom for 1/4 to 1/3 of the cost of having a professional deck removal/transom restoration done, something which I would never have been able to afford. I managed to do the job without removing my 115 hp Merc outboard, although I did have to slide it back and forth across the transom to get sufficient access to dig out some old wood and inject your sealer. I took pictures during each step of the process and have attached some for your reference.

After gouging out bad wood across the center of my transom, I had to treat the remaining upper and lower sections separately and then fill the center with a couple of laminated overlapping plywood sections - which had of course been “treated” first. The process was so successful that it actually straightened my transom. On the finished rear quarter shot you will notice the “spacer” stainless steel washers that I had to add to fill up the space between the transom and the stainless steel restraining strap that I had installed many years ago. (Of course I had the same situation on the other side as well.). By using the spacers I did not have to have new straps made. I probably don’t even need them now, but they certainly can’t do any harm. I had to “slip off” the stainless steel transom plate and have it straightened so it would fit flat against my now straight (instead of curved) transom.

Thanks again,
Dan M.

2004 UPDATE: Dan sent us a letter at the end of 2004 to let us know that his transom is still in great shape. If you want to read his letter and see the images, go to his letter in our Boats Q&A.

A) Top of transom with some of the fiberglass skin cut away to get access to the rotted wood.

B) Cut fiberglass replaced with Fill-It™ Epoxy Filler*

C) Trim piece covering repair. Washers under strap bracket shows how much the transom was straightened by the repair.

D) Inside of transom with rotted plywood removed, CPES™* applied to remaining wood, and Fill-It™ Filler* to fill cavities.

E) One half of replacement plywood installed. Note overlapping section in middle for strength.

F) Inside finished with aluminum plate added for extra insurance.

* These products are unavailable, we are selling comparable products that will perform these same tasks. Feel free to contact us if you need assistance with which products to use.