Older Robalo from the 70's

[roadkill]

I have a 18' Wellcraft CC with a wet transom. An estimate to replace it properly was $3500 to $4000. The boat isn't worth it so it sits in the yard. We bought a 25' Kencraft CC and it's a totaly different boat with no issues.

I wouldn't attempt to repair a wet transom myself. It is too important a job for amatuers.

[catch 22]

Seacast is only really good for transoms that are wet from motor mount bolt holes. If the transom is wet (rotted) to the bottom Seacast does not address properly tying the stringers (may be rotted too) to the transom, so you may NOT address the structural integrity of the boat. If the stringers and the bottom of the transom are sound... go for it. My buddy has an older Robolo 2550 I think (25 cuddy) HEAVY as hell, but nice riding.

[csvencer]

Seacast is only really good for transoms that are wet from motor mount bolt holes. If the transom is wet (rotted) to the bottom Seacast does not address properly tying the stringers (may be rotted too) to the transom, so you may NOT address the structural integrity of the boat. If the stringers and the bottom of the transom are sound... go for it. My buddy has an older Robolo 2550 I think (25 cuddy) HEAVY as hell, but nice riding.

Can you explain this alittle further? Stringers aret physically attached to the wood in the transom, they are glassed in, right? If you pull out all the wood, top to bottom and pour in seacast that should bond with the fiberglass "shell" that is left and the stringers on the bottom creating a solid concrete "plate" with a fiberglass shell.

Nevermind, just reread your post and I guess what your saying is completely rotten transoms probably have rotten stringers so a new transom is only part of the fix....agreed.

-Svence

[oldcapt]

I saw an older Robalo 20' cc that needs a new transom and new motor - I was thinking of picking it up as a project boat.

Anyone know how these boats ride?

Parker21, I had a very early Robalo 20 (not the 19) built at the Sanford factory and had a larger (original offered was 60) 100 ga tank installed. Largest engine available then was a 135, as I recall, which is what we installed, along with a bracket and "come home" kicker. Still often ran with extra 6 gallon tanks tied down. Had one of the first T Tops built with the outriggers on top, was the first T Top I ever saw at that time. Used it in the Gulf and often stupidly ran wayyy too far offshore with it to fish. The south end (Chicken Neck) of the Middle Grounds was a favorite area, as an example. Buried the bow many times coming home with both the large bow hatches filled with Grouper and Snaps. Boat was very good at self bailing so did keep the deck clean. We were in a kinda "recession/depression then, and my previous job went away. We needed money, had a pretty cool boat, and catching fish was EZ then, even with the very unreliable Buck Rogers type Loran A, it was no problem loading the boat with catches that qualify as PC incorrect today. Then, we sold the fish and paid the bills. Long story short, the 20 was a well built and nice to look at, for its era. It had a shallow deadrise resulting in having to slow down in a chop. It was also a bit wet. The foaming technology was fairly iffy then and I later saw several 20s with bulges on the insides where the foam expanded too much as it cured and may have soaked up some water as well. Moved on to numerous other boats, commercial and pleasure ( 23 SeaCraft, 31 Ocean Master, 231 Mako and several larger custom diesels and others) both new built and restored. You might consider looking hard at other, newer boats that benefit from newer materials, technology (especially better hull designs) UNLESS you have deep pockets, lotsa spare time and mucho boatbuilding knowledge. You will have $5-10 K in an old 20 sooo fast and still have a kinda bumpy, wet, pretty boat. You can get a pretty little boat that turns heads and rides well pretty darn cheap these days, that requires little work or $. You may not get the "personal ego gratification" of having done it all yourself, but take your family or a kid out instead on a ready to run boat with all that time. Boy, Im getting old. Im the guy that has rebuilt quite a few "pretty" boats, and have the receipts to prove it. Good luck to you

Jim.

Jim

[WEAKFISH]

I'll see if I can contact Mr. Robalo for you. Not sure if he joined here yet. He'll know everything about that boat.

[Shark1007]

Here's the way to do it... Cut the inner hull back 18 inches forward of the transom, bisecting the in the floor well. Remove the inner linerand piece of deck, being careful not to disturb the "skin" of the hull of the transom. Dig out all the rotted wood and all the foam and you can inspect the stringers at this point. Next, laminate several layers of marine ply to the skin of the transom from the inside. Build a coouple "knees" to affix the new transom to the hull. Glass the heck out of the ply and glass the pieces back together and you're done.

The skin of the hull has a unique structural role and you don't want to cut it at all. You can get the foam commercially and refoam thru 3/4 plugs you cut in the deck.

Jim: been there, I'm old too. Bought my 1976 20 footer from Gene Meaders in Sanford in 1976.

[mrrobalo]

Go to the http://www.robaloboatowners.com/forum/ I can answer your questions there as I can cut and paste the answers(as I have answered them before). Yes there were some issues with them but all boats have there faults but they have been cruising the waters for 40 years? We had to do something right.

Sorry if I stepped on toes on this board but I don't type fast but I cut and paste goo. LOL