The boat will be trailerized... longest time in the water would be a weekend.

Some places I've ground down to original glass and built back up with new epoxy. Other places I've ground to the original gel. I still have lots of sanding to get it flat.

I was thinking to use the PPG process GlassDave describes with primer/sealer/basecoat/clear. I am using it on the dash and wanted to use it everywhere but the running surface.

For the sides I am also tossing around; Awlgrip, Awlgrip 2000, Gelkote, and Interlux Perfection. I am not painting the sides this year... only the transom.

Every time I make my mind up, I read a horror story and change it again.

f imron, use awlgrip period. its the toughest paint going, great gloss and wont peel off in sheets like imron if the paint ever gets chipped. if you have to buff any spots with awlgrip you need to buff it before it fully cures, otherwise it will get too hard to buff

Thanks guys! I'm leaning heavily towards Awlgrip again.

How flat do I need this transom? I put new wood in it and now it's almost 1/4" off over a span of 36". It's ok when I use a 12" straight edge

How flat do I need this transom?

You will want it flat as possible. Especially when it comes time to install your transom assemblies.

It it high in the middle or outside or...... Some boats have a slight roll to the tramsmission if you will.

Jon

Hi Jon, it actually appears to be high on the outsides most. If I put a straight edge across the whole transom the middle is about as high as the outsides. The valley between the outside and middle is almost 3/16" worst case... looks huge measured that way. If I come off the edge about 2" the majority of the valley goes away.

Tomorrow I'll build it up some, but not all the way... I don't think it's necessary. I'll focus on getting it flat at the drives, tabs, and exhaust. I'll get some pics before I paint.

Tough call on that one IMO. You do not want to make your transom to thick, and I would not want to see you build it up with anything BUT glass. What kind of drives are you running? When they redid my transom in my boat they made it thicker. It wound up almost screwing me as the yoke no longer fit into the transmision far enough. Do you think that it lost its shape when you pulled the old transom out?

Jon

Now that I think back, I remember the outside glass on the transom was thicker. I didn't take the time to grind all that chopped strand away (which would have made it flat)... wasn't even a thought (1st timer). I ground until my grinder gave out then built it up flat (with glass)

I have TRS drives and fortunately it's not too thick in the middle, 2 1/16".

What I'll do today is see how flat I can get the center (exhaust holes being the outside edge). I'll use milled fiber if I need to fill thicker than my fingernail.