transome door

[FlyingConnie]

I'm exploring the idea of cutting in a transome door into my (solid glass) 28' Crowley. I see three benefits:
1) easy clean up after a trip, we're spending alot of time washing down bass scales, fish parts/blood through just two scuppers, when I could OPEN up a 24'' door and flush it all out
2) boarding the boat from the water, no silly swim ladder needed
3) not often do I catch anything I cant lift or the rail, but I could eliminate a gin pole system

My concerns are:
1)cutting the transome and have the boat twisting out of plum
2) cracking glass from loss of strength
3) safety, drifting and having a rip bust through the door, or someone slips on deck and slides out through the door

How much work is involved in installing a door right?
Will leaving the gunnel intact above the door keep full transome strength?
Laying up extra transome glass make it stronger or just adds more weight?

What are your thoughts?

 

[plowin]

I cut one into my 32' BHM and built a ramp into the deck. It was really no big deal to do, just make sure that you measure twice and cut once!. I used a 7 1/4" demo blade on my skill saw. Make sure to put tape on the base of the saw to prevent scratching and facilitate sliding along the transom. Also tape off the entire area on the transom that you expect the saw base to be sliding over as well as where the blade will be cutting, this will prevent the gelcoat from chipping. Cut both sides then the top and bottom, when done with that fasten the door with hinges- this will prevent the door from sagging(if the hinges were applied after the fact). Finish the corner cuts with a good jig saw and a sharp blade, finish up with a little sanding/grinding and your all done with the exception of the latch on the inside. If you want you can have an overlap frame made out of stainless steel and polish, then fasten it to the door on the outside and youll have no worries of any water blowing the door in. More time consuming than difficult. One thing to note is that your bottom cut is key if you are not putting a ramp in. The cut must be right at or just slightly below the deck level for obvious reasons.

 

[Madchark]

Plowin nailed it. Just take your time to map it out. Also, add some supports to stiffin up the sides. You meed to decide to have a filp top or cut the washboard back to make the door swing.

 

[bub147]

Wood Transom

Any advise on cutting this transom? Needless to say Im a bit nervous about it. Not like I can just fill and paint it.

 

[plowin]

Transom doors are tools.If you are using them to bring fish into the boat then I would consider how many times you are actually going to use it and how quickly it needs to be done. If the answer to your first question is "a few times a year" then I would just get a gin pole. If your answer to number two is "timeliness really is not important" then I would never cut the transom out for a door. If on the other hand you need a transom cutout so that you can gain entry into the boat then I would hire someone who truly has experience in doing this on a wooden transom. Again, why have all that eye candy for a transom and then cut a hole in it, just be sure you need it before you attempt to cut it in. If a mistake is made for an uneccesary addition,if it in fact is uneccesary, your going to feel like you just punched yourself in the nuts.

 

[MDI45]

BUB147,That is beautiful...is that a 31 JC P..Town?...if so...what about a Gin pole off your hard top

 

[bub147]

Thanks MDI. No its not a JC, Its a custom designed by Geoff Dickes. Ill be cutting in the door in the next couple weeks. Probably will install the stiffeners first then cut. What about hinges? Ive looked at a bunch of different ones but what are guys top choice?

 

[November Rain]

When we bought our Young it had a door in the transom. After a couple of years I couldn't wait to seal it up. We glassed it back to solid and put up a gin pole. The door seamed to cause us more trouble than it was worth. We spend all of our time fishing in Montauk in the rips and slop and always made water through the door. The door seamed warped and we couldn't get it water tight.