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Ross 830 Open Transom conversion


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I have seen some open transom conversions on some of the small Ross yachts, and think I want that too, but first some advice...

 

Extra scoop or just a hole? I thought I could build a small timber and stainless deck and not mess with the hull or waterline.

Is it going to stuff up the boat?

Are there any decent boat builders that will take on this sort of work without bankrupting me? It is only a $20k boat so it would have to be reasonable.

Attached pic is of a R780 on a trailer, but mine is not on one.

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I have a Young 780WB which has a transom but also has a hinged door/gate in one side of the transom.

The transom also carries the rudder and the outboard. Don't see either on this pic?

I like the gate thing as it makes access from the ground really easy when on the trailer and makes boarding a dinghy easy when afloat.

 

The gate is not overly robust, and I have toyed with removing the gate in favour of open transom but have decided not to for 2 reasons:

1. I often have non sailing family and friends aboard who feel more secure in an apparently closed cockpit.

2. Having it fully open with cockpit sole flush with transom,  there is nothing to retain accidentally dropped cellphones, winch-handles and small children.

Cheers

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I have a Ross 830 with an open transom and outboard well if you want to see what one looks like when done.  Boat is on a mooring in Auckland.  Engineering and building advice is way above my pay grade though.

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Luckily my boat already has a through hull rudder, so no mods required there. I could literally just cut the transom open between the seats and patch the holes (Properly of course).

I am pretty handy, having previously design and manufactured furniture for a living, using Timber, Stainless steel, Aluminium and glass. Unfortunately I have almost no experience in Fiberglass.

 

I thought I could probably build a deck like this one.

9A52965C-6E97-477D-AE7B-C081ABB09F58.jpeg

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I have a Ross 830 with an open transom and outboard well if you want to see what one looks like when done. Boat is on a mooring in Auckland. Engineering and building advice is way above my pay grade though.

Absolutely keen to see it! Where’s your mooring? Mines in the Tamaki.

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Nolipoli, I have a R830 also. No open transom but it does have a nice boarding platform. I’ll send you a pic some time if you like. I’ve considered an open transom too, but won’t for now. My boats a bit souped up including running backstays, and I don’t want to loose and strength, plus I don’t have the time for a bigger project including replacing any strength lost by cutting the transom out. With the boarding platform, it’s not hard to step up onto the cockpit seat and down to the platform though. Boarding platform is handy for taking the dinghy cruising too, sits nicely on there sideways, with the 5hp on the stern rail.

I’d be interested to see a pic your 830’s open transom NZtiger.

Which boats do you both have?

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Mattm, here's the best photo I have with a clear view of the cockpit on my Ross 830, Solo Convoy. 

 

Nolipoli, it's also in the Tamaki estuary.  I'll message you my contact details and we'll sort out a visit.

 

My thoughts on the cockpit well are that it's great for pushing through the chop (prop is always underwater), convenient to use (starting, throttling, stopping), however it's noisier and has a speed penalty of an outboard mounted on the transom.

 

I'd like to put a prod and a light-wind asymmetric on the boat.  Would be keen to hear from anyone who's done that.

IMG_1856.JPG

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Looks great.  

 

When I rebuilt the Stewart a open transom was a priority., now going to build a removable, pop in.

Gets pretty wet at times. Exhausts fast though.

That said the transom will be out more than in.

 Aft lockers. coamings sealed from saloon.

Gusset (wing) transfers load from backstay to coaming beam.

Locker ends false transom, 30mm ply heavily glassed,filleted,tabbed to hull.

Foamed to add shape to arse lift. No change to LOA.

A little too tupperware so added teak.

 

Last pic, new deck presented to mostly new hull.

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Some pics of my old 830. Best open transom conversion I've seen on one, designed by R Edlin and work done by Chris Sayer.

Rasied cockpit floor and completely enclosed outboard well, makes my 930 cockpit feel positively claustraphobic!

Its currently on the hard being stored by new owner.

 

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Some pics of my old 830. Best open transom conversion I've seen on one, designed by R Edlin and work done by Chris Sayer.

Rasied cockpit floor and completely enclosed outboard well, makes my 930 cockpit feel positively claustraphobic!

Its currently on the hard being stored by new owner.

Looks stunning.  A few questions if you have the time and inclination:

- Did you arrange for the prod to be put on?  (If so, was it a major mission?)

- What sails did you carry on the prod?

- Was the mast up-spec'd to carry the sails on the prod?

- Are those running backstays?

- What headsails go on the forestay given there's no self-tacker?

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Thanks for all the feedback guys.

For now I have decided to just build a Swim/boarding platform, and maybe do the transom cut when I’ve had an opportunity to do some glassing on a less precious item than my 830. I’d hate to live with having butchered one.

 

NZTiger that looks good. I am keen to see it (probably a weekend less blowy than this one.

Mattm have you got pics of your swim platform? I’d love to see it.

Funlovincriminal, was this on Trademe recently? Stunning!

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Looks stunning.  A few questions if you have the time and inclination:

- Did you arrange for the prod to be put on?  (If so, was it a major mission?)

- What sails did you carry on the prod?

- Was the mast up-spec'd to carry the sails on the prod?

- Are those running backstays?

- What headsails go on the forestay given there's no self-tacker?

 

Its certainly a little bit of an involved job but nothing that someone with a smidge of practical abilities can't do.

 

I purchased a Melges 24 Tapered carbon prod and outer tube from Jason at Kilwell in Rotorua, and 'Frenched' the outer into the hull as shown in the pictures. To get the elliptical shape correct I cut an angle on some drain pipe of the same diameter and filed it unit it laid in the right orientation, then traced around it. 

 

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I laminated a few sheets of thick ply together to beef up the rear bulkhead on the anchor locker to carry the loads, and arranged carbon uni's in a bit of a load path inside and out on the hull.

I then sheathed it all with Double Bias and then boat cloth before fairing it in.

 

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I had Acetal bearings and a stopper/cap machined up to hold the prod in place when extended.

It had no bob stay, was 2.0 metres long when extended and although we saw a fair bit of flex on extreme tight reaching occasions we never had any breakages.

It was deployed using a single line running through a block attached to rear of the anchor locker bulkhead and retracted by clipping the tack to the pulpit and hauling on the tack line. Simple and light.

To prevent water ending up in my bed (rear end of prod was hard against toilet bulkhead when retracted) I used dek-tites from a plumbing store, one attached to outer tube that was a tight seal to prod when extended, and one fixed to small end of prod that overlapped the rear seal when retracted and prevented prod from rattling around. I never had any water in the boat despite some enthusiastic ocean mining at times!

 

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For sails I had an old Skiff gennaker and a Blast reacher that I got for a box of beers, both fractional as the top of the rig would not have supported masthead. Fastest I think we ever got was around 15 knots once hooning from Fitzroy up to the Needles, they really boogie with a little gennaker on the front.

 

Shapeshifter Fitzroy to Little Barrier.jpg

 

It had a standard masthead backstay.

It had facilities for running backstays on the rig but I never hooked any up as my plan was to go to a bigger carbon section that I purchased and go to cathedral type masthead setup. 

I just ran the self tacking headsails on blocks and tracks, foredeck a lot nicer place without the shin nazi lurking.

Had I of done the rig I would have gone entire new wardrobe but as it happened we got a deal on a bigger Ross boat and the rest is history!

 

Good luck with yours.

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I just ran the self tacking headsails on blocks and tracks, foredeck a lot nicer place without the shin nazi lurking.

Had I of done the rig I would have gone entire new wardrobe but as it happened we got a deal on a bigger Ross boat and the rest is history!

 

Good luck with yours.

 

Great job.  Thanks for the comprehensive reply.  Given me a lot to think about.

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