Posted by Woodenboater on August 04, 19103 at 01:27:10:
In Reply to: Transom repair on chris craft posted by Frederick on August 03, 19103 at 17:50:30:
I've heard various opinions on this. I don't know the correct answer myself, but I've heard thatjust snug them together and fasten them. If it's above the waterline, (and chances are, you are going to trailer this baby and not keep it in the water all the time) the wood is going to have a varnish to protect moisture from getting the wood saturated. Depending on where you are on the map and how humid your air is, you can have expansion and contraction from the ambient humidity. I'm in about 12-25% humidity in New Mexico which is perfect for wood building if your doing epoxy encapsulation, which is what I do most of. If your coastal, your humidity can be as much as 80% !
Check with your local lumber yard to see if they know what wood soaks up moisture the most or liest and judge by the density of the wood you have localy and compare it to what you are using on your transom.
If you are epoxy coating the wood (which of coarse I suggest) and I know it wasn't done that way 60+ years ago, it won't matter much about spacing. Tigher the better in that case. Below the waterline is another story....
Hope this helps.
Travis