Thread: Ply for dinghy transom?

Originally Posted by Tentman

The "no silicone" advice is right on the money, the number of boat repair cock-ups due to the use of silicone based sealants would have made me rich if I'd kept at the game. Make sure you use a polyurethane type sealant! (Silicone acts at a molecular level to make just about any material un-glueable, and it sorta "travels" a heck of a long way, especially on fiberglass!).

Sika flex 292 is pretty bloody good - if that won't stick it it basically can't be stuck.

I showed up to fix a roof leak for a mate one day and this was all he had.
The salmon farm guys use it on aluminium boat leaks all the time and once it's on, it's an absolute prick to try and remove

My 1992 Alicraft needed its transom replaced about 15 yrs ago. I went to one of those house demolition yards, bought a piece of heart Kauri that was the length and slightly thicker than was needed.
Got home and ripped it into 2 pieces, turned one of them over so the grain was opposite and then glued and clamped them back together using a proper marine grade epoxy. Cut it to fit properly then coated it with Everdure, a 2 pot timber preservative.
Fitted an outboard plate on the inside where the outboard clamps go.
The boat has a well on the transom and I refitted 2 new plastic drain tubes into it. During duck shooting it is constantly wet cos I retrieve my dekes by backing up to them and letting them drain before throwing them into the boat.

Its put up with 15yrs carrying a 30hp 2 stroke Yamaha and shows no signs of giving up.