I'm installing a boarding/swimming ladder on my 1976 23' O'Day. I drilled 2 holes yesterday on the transom 20" from water level (starboard side). To my surprise, it doesn't look like I've gone through any core material. Just the 2 layers of GRP. Is it possible that the core material doesn't go that high? I know there was balsa on the starboard side lower section where my motor lift is installed because I had to tear and rebuild that portion because of water intrusion and rotten balsa. Now for the big question, how can I install the ladder? I've made a 14" x 5" stainless steel "washer" for the outside portion and 2 6" x 5" "washer" for the inside. The right bracket falls inside the cockpit bench so I will build a large GRP backing plate with epoxy and mat to distribute the weight. But how can install the other bracket if there is not core material?
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no "core" material on my o day 20
i installed a ladder on my oday 20 last year and i did not have any "core" material on the transom. the transom was pretty much just a couple layers of fiberglass mat and resin. i used a couple of squares of plywood, maybe 5 by 5, as "washers". it has worked fine so far without a problem, and i've never been called a light weight. i tried to use one solid piece of plywood, but that didn't seem to work as well as there was more curve to the transom than i expected looking at it.
i installed a ladder on my oday 20 last year and i did not have any "core" material on the transom. the transom was pretty much just a couple layers of fiberglass mat and resin. i used a couple of squares of plywood, maybe 5 by 5, as "washers". it has worked fine so far without a problem, and i've never been called a light weight. i tried to use one solid piece of plywood, but that didn't seem to work as well as there was more curve to the transom than i expected looking at it.
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