Transom extension work, first step.

Transom extension work underway at St. Augustine Marine Center, FL.

Today I will install the starboard deck, and start cutting out the new transom faces.  Waterline is not where it appears.  The normal waterline is at the bottom of the blue stripe.  The bottom paint has been slurry blasted off and the remaining black color is an epoxy copper coating that was likely applied when the boat was new.  Based on our best estimates we should have a 6 inch overhang when the boat is fully loaded.  No more slimy green bottom steps, and hopefully a smoother faster ride offshore.

In the last second of this video you can see water backwash up to the second step of the original transom.  The video shows about 6-7 knots of boat speed.  At speeds less than 5 knots, in large waves water would cycle on and off the bottom step, generating lots of turbulence and slowing our boat. It felt like we were towing buckets each time it happened.  The new transoms should eliminate this.