In reply to "Re: Transom Design", posted by Jason Cajune on Mar 30, 2002:
>In reply to "Transom Design", posted by Dan Woodruff on Mar 30, 2002:
>>I built a 16' Tatman driftboat a couple of years ago so I am familiar with the square-transom construction used on this and similar driftboats. I am intrigued, however, with the curved transom design I see on the Montana Boat Builders drift boats. They are very attractive and I would like to learn more on the technique used to build them like this.
>
>Dan,
>The rounded tranom's, ( I call them fantail transoms) are just a little showy thing I've been doing to all my custom boats for a few years now. They don't really do much for the boat functionally, although it's always good to get rid of corners in my opinion. I just thought they were a natural way to finish the end of the boat.
>They are a bit of a pain to make though. We have a jig for several shapes according to hull size and then we partly torture and partly steam the wood into place and laminate it. But the fun's still not over. Then you have to match it up to the hull and there's always a lot of trimming to do to get it matched up right. And of course a fair a mount of sanding to get it faired into the sides soit doesn't look lumpy. Finally glass it all in place and start making trim and the big knee across the back. I call it the bone.
>Itworks out pretty well unless you want to use a motor;)
Jason,
Although I can't troll with the design, I'm still interested ;)
What kind of wood is used? My first impression from pictures I've seen is it was constructed of plywood like the rest of the hull. I can't imagine plywood working well for what you described, but maybe that's why you use the term "tortured."
Thanks,
Dan