Trojan Boat Forum

Forum Users:

I'm looking at cutting a door in the transom of my 83 F-32. Has anyone attempted this and/or does anyone have any suggestions? The main problem is cutting the door completely out with the top teak board in tack with the hinges possibly on the starboard side.

Thanks, Gene

I would never consider doing that... it is the top rail/edge of the transom that supplies the rigidity/strength to hold the two sides of the hull together not the fibreglass of the vertical transom. Have you looked at how relatively thin the fibreglass of the vertical transom wall is? It just keeps the water out.

Macdiver wrote:Forum Users:

I'm looking at cutting a door in the transom of my 83 F-32. Has anyone attempted this and/or does anyone have any suggestions? The main problem is cutting the door completely out with the top teak board in tack with the hinges possibly on the starboard side.

Thanks, Gene

I seen a post where someone had done that ill look for it.


Ok I found it .

I have seen several that have been done and they look great. I think if you do a search on this topic you'll find more info. You may even search yachtworld.com for pics.

If I were good with fiberglass I would do it in a heart beat.

Molly 2 did it on his f32

Here, look at my avatar.

Mel

Mel,
Did you yourself, do this and if so, do you have progressive photos and procedures you could share? Very nice indeed!
Thanks.

I am with you Ready123, I don't think I would do that. Theses hulls were designed as a whole, with the transom intact. To cut them might weaken them structurally to the point of failure.

I believe that a transom door can be added...you don't simply cut out an opening and install a door. There is adding structurally to the transom when compromising this area. After seeing this on a few boats, I like it.

Granted, it might not be for your general do it yourselfer, but I see no problem with it as long as it's done correctly. There are a lot of boats out there with transom doors which don't even come close to the integrity of a Trojan hull.

Almost anything can be done if engineered correctly....

My point is as I see the F32 transom it's lateral strength is gained from the top cap of the transom and not the main body of the transom which is only supported vertically by stringers to control fore and aft movement. Port/Starboard movement is restrained by the top edge of the transom.
Once that is cut out to make a door how do you replace that physical tie from port to starboard of the hull sides at the top

I guess you could run some horizontal stringers on the transom below the door cut out.... I would still be concerned in heavy seas where there can be pressure high up on the sides of the hull, will this cause undue flexing of the top unsupported area of the transom? Could this start failure of the transom? Trojans get all of their flotation from the hull integrity as there is no foam filling... not sure I would want to be aboard an F32 with split transom.

As I have said before I would not do it.
Just because it can be done does not make it right... <ask Toyota>

Stripermann2 wrote:I believe that a transom door can be added...you don't simply cut out an opening and install a door. There is adding structurally to the transom when compromising this area. After seeing this on a few boats, I like it.

Have you seen it on boats that have just a fibreglass transom like the F32?
I have not.... I have seen many where the transom is cored and much thicker than the F32's 3/8" - 1/2" (?) glass structure.

I have in fact seen a Regal 2800 I believe modified that way which is showing signs of spreading.

Michael,
We've had this discussion before. Mixed both ways.
http://www.trojanboats.net/wforum/viewt ... ansom+door

Stripermann2 wrote:Michael,
We've had this discussion before. Mixed both ways.
http://www.trojanboats.net/wforum/viewt ... ansom+door

Discussion mixed both ways and not one of them were from someone with the engineering/marine architectural knowledge... or certainly they did not propose such.
You also compared a Bayliner transom with one as a reason it can be done on the F32.
I have not seen a Bayliner transom that I would consider similar to the F32's. I could not get the link to open to see if the Bayliner structure is the same or not.

All I'm saying there is a lot more than just talking about how it can be done physically without considering the structural design requirements

"All I'm saying there is a lot more than just talking about how it can be done physically without considering the structural design requirements"

Michael, I think that's what I said...in my earlier post.

"I believe that a transom door can be added...you don't simply cut out an opening and install a door. There is adding structurally to the transom when compromising this area. After seeing this on a few boats, I like it. "