Enclosed Transom or Not???? - The Hull Truth

hdle · 10-30-2009, 05:11 PM

How do some of you feel about fully enclosed transoms? Is this a must? For those of you who have boats such as the Fountain 29' Center console what precautions should one take regarding this topic? I was told by an owner of a Mako with fully enclosed (has door) he would never own a boat with out it due to a scare he had one time when everyone rushed to the back of the boat (5 adults) when landing a fish and they were lucky to get out of it. They had to take off and pull the plug to drain it because the bilge pump wasn't keeping up. This was in a 23 or 24 foot boat. I'm just over a rookie and have found this forum and it's members a great asset as to learning so bear with me as to many this may seem obvious.......

jerseysportfisher · 10-30-2009, 05:20 PM

actually you can get swamped coming off plane and also in a following sea. I wouldn't own a notch transom, either outboard well or bracket with a closed transom.

wmalloy382 · 10-30-2009, 05:24 PM

I have a notched transom. Its a classic design... but my next boat will have the full transom with a door. Waves do get in, and the kids will be safer

hdle · 10-30-2009, 05:45 PM

Just so I'm clear on terms....Outboard Well? Is this what some call a splash well that has the drains through the transom? Don't all outboard mountings have this?

Bullshipper · 10-30-2009, 06:00 PM

A notch or blow out transom door will also drain water out of a hull fast (faster than a scupper), and keep you from swamping on a second wave coming in 5 to 15 seconds if you were surpized by the first one.

This should have been considered by the designer in the first place, but lots of people overload their hulls, making them unsafe, so neither is idiot proof as a closed transom will keep water in the hull longer too.

rbhankins001 · 10-30-2009, 06:14 PM

Give me an enclosed transom!

I wouldn't have an offshore boat without one.

-Rob

Fubar512 · 10-30-2009, 06:48 PM

Back around 1989 or so, one of the first closed transom outboard Gradys (I believe it was a 23), almost sunk going into Shark River inlet, due to the operator misjudging conditions. He stuffed his bow into a standing wave at the mouth of the inlet, which subsequently blew out his eisenglass, and he wound up with "a foot of water in the cockpit" (his words) as a result.

Luckily, he made it safely inside...despite his scuppers being awash.

striped bass · 10-30-2009, 07:35 PM

Read David Pascoe's anaylsis of closed and open transoms. Just Google his name and the topic.

cdail28590 · 10-30-2009, 08:47 PM

I personally like the closed transom better. Like others have said you don't have to worry about water coming over the back plus it gives you more room in the boat. It does make it a little more difficult to fight a fish around the back of the boat but its no big deal. This is one of my winter projects this year to close in the transom on my 20' Sea Ox and add a bracket.

oceanluvr30 · 10-30-2009, 09:01 PM

I have owned both enclosed and notched transom boats and both types were used in similar conditions and i never felt one was safer. I think the perception that a closed transom is safer is what drives this discussion. My current boat has a notched transom with a well designed splash well and I fish in a lot of different sea states and take no more water then my old boat with the closed transom. And I bet that if there is any data on one style versus the other you will find that there is NO credible evidence that enclosed is safer or that notched have more capsizings. But hey, if it makes you believe you are safer then that is just as important....

nausetlight · 10-31-2009, 08:28 AM

Having owned both notched transom and full / bracket transoms, I prefer the simplicity of a notched transom and the handling in close quarters. That bracket moves the crafts pivot point back 3' or so and also can be a bear to back down with (tilting the engine up a bit will help). Give me a notch transom and a full height wave gate, simple and effective

Capt. Mako · 10-31-2009, 10:19 AM

I am adding an armstrong to my OM 31

orngebchmate · 11-03-2009, 05:19 PM

I personally like an enclosed transom but that is just because I like to back down hard on fish and i cant do that with a notched transom

Capt Lindsay · 11-03-2009, 07:24 PM

If you want to fish, a tradiutional outboard transom on an outboard boat is the safest. All the brackets and molded engine extensions do nothing but cause problems. The manufacturers like them since they count in the length of the boat.

That's BS.