Finishing gunwales and transom FS14

[wdr99]

Hi everyone,

Since the northland is getting coated with a quarter inch of ice and then 4-6 inches of snow, I figured it’s good day to decide what I’m going to do with my gunwale and transom sheer edges.

See the attached pictures, my sheer is a 1x and the 1/4 inch ply. I’m leaving the outer edge square because it’ll be covered with gunwale guard. But what do with the inner edge. I’m planning to round over with a 1/2 or a 1/4 bit. Is that what most of you have done? I also have considered adding a 1x on the inside and rounding that over. Whatever I’m doing will be painted over, no brightwork for me. Hopefully you can see a couple layers of epoxy already.

For the transom, I’m puzzled. I’d like to leave the outer edge square to make for a nice paint edge. The hull is gray, the inside of the boat will be white. Is a square edge a bad idea? I can’t really think of any other way of executing the paint edge unless any of you have an idea. I’m planning on rounding over the inside edge. Also, should I glass this top edge of the transom, given the extra stresses of the outboard, or is sealing with epoxy good enough.

Thanks!
Bill

[Fuzz]

Clamp a straight edge across the transom a couple of inches down. Run your glass down to the straight edge but no matter what you need to round over the transom edges and glass over the top. If you do not glass over that end rain plywood you are just begging for rot to set in.

[TomW1]

Yep, like Fuzz said definitely cover the top of the transom with glass to prevent rot and damage to it. Round it over to take the glass.

Tom

[wdr99]

Where would you guys transfer from hull color to cockpit color, gray to white? Maybe right in the middle of the transom’s top edge? For whatever reason these artistic decisions are way more work than the actual work!

Bill

[fallguy1000]

Where would you guys transfer from hull color to cockpit color, gray to white? Maybe right in the middle of the transom’s top edge? For whatever reason these artistic decisions are way more work than the actual work!

Bill

White boat or white cockpit?

white is harder on the eyes, so gray cockpit is better

i sorta wish all my inside walls were gray for glare, but white walls and gray decks here

Transom top same as boat main color here..but I don't really have to look at it.

[wdr99]

Where would you guys transfer from hull color to cockpit color, gray to white? Maybe right in the middle of the transom’s top edge? For whatever reason these artistic decisions are way more work than the actual work!

Bill

White boat or white cockpit?

white is harder on the eyes, so gray cockpit is better

i sorta wish all my inside walls were gray for glare, but white walls and gray decks here

Transom top same as boat main color here..but I don't really have to look at it.

I went with EZPoxy Seattle Gray for the hull. It’s really light, never would have thought of it, but we bumped into it. For contrast, I’m going with a white cockpit. Luckily the sun never shines in northern MN!

This is one of these decisions that I dread along the way. I’ll agonize over it, decide rashly, and the actual work will take about 15 minutes.

Bill

[pee wee]

Where would you guys transfer from hull color to cockpit color, gray to white? Maybe right in the middle of the transom’s top edge? For whatever reason these artistic decisions are way more work than the actual work!

Bill

Don't forget that once the glass is on you can build those edges back to square using epoxy and structural fillers.

[fallguy1000]

Everyone I've read has regretted not glassing the transom tops. The thermal expansion rates between the wood end and edge grains and the glues and the glass vary too much.

Glass the edges and top and for fun return it to sharp for a really great look.

I hate white cockpits. And I have one on my antique Carver. Everything shows. A fleck of sand, a sneaker mark, potato chip crumbs. White is awful on the eyes.

Go gray. I'd go a tad darker than the hull. Transistion on top the gunwhale. It'll look really nice.

[wdr99]

Well, I went for it today. Rounded over the transom and the inner edge of the gunwale. Then glassed. Also installed the bow eye and the electrical conduit. Also, funny enough, I decided to go with a gray cockpit. First boat I’ve built that won’t have a white cockpit. Kind of a departure!

Thanks everyone.

Bill