26 Sutphen transom question
 

Can the guys with 26 Sutphen chime in here and help out with a transom question. Does your transom have just the slightest bit of curvature to it or is it straight flat across the back? Any help would be appreciated, want to see if I am having problems with mine or is it supposed to be like this. Thanks in advance

Mine is an 87 and the transom is all straight lines and flat surfaces using a steel rule. Not much deviation there from dead straight.

Mine has two gill brackets, factory bracing from stringers to upper bolts made from 3/8 aluminum angle, nothing lose, but you can see that it has a very slight curvature. Transom is solid for sure, I put a straight edge on mine , best I can tell is about 1/8- 3/16 curve the middle is out further than the sides. Look on the inside, don't see anything broken or cracked, all bracing is tight. Not sure what is going on if anything. Looking for more to chime in. Should I be worried, do I need to try and have fixed? I want to pull the gill brackets off and install a full transom bracket anyway.

my 1990 outboard 26 is straight and flat also

Did you check it with a straight edge? Just find it hard to believe that it's moving with the factory bracing. Hate to have to do a transom in this thing, it seems solid as a rock when you knock on it , jump on it nothing is moving at all. Oh well will have to investigate it over the winter

Get in touch with Rich Sutphen. I think he's on here. I have his number if you can't find him

Do you have his number? I called his shop a few months ago and talked to him about a bracket for the back and he turned me on to stainless marine. I have his shop number but not a cell. I wish i could look at another one, I would almost bet they are supposed to be flat, I think the Gill brackets are just tugging away on the transom. Still hard to believe with the bracing inside, but I guess anything could be going on. Boat was original outboard boat with the Gills from the factory. Came with twin 200 Merc Carb motors 25". Has 2 20" 225 OMC now.

My 1988 31' has slight curve and hull has maybe 100 hours, inspect transom yourself, take rubber hammer and tap it left, right and center, compare if both left and right has close sound pitch.

P.S. Mine has stainless marine bracket on it and caulk in spaces are bigger on the side then in the middle, what meens that curve was there when bracket was installed

Yeah that sounds about right, its not much of a curvature, its about 3/16 at the sides at most. Thats putting a straight edge all the way across the back of the transom and checking right at the edges where the end of the platform would be at both sides of the boat, just about under the d rings on the transom. I have already beat around on it and saw it with my own eyes when the brackets were off , its definitely not rotted.