Cedar Transom?

[Chas0218]

Just wondering if anyone has seen a boat with a cedar transom?

 

As much as I cringed I needed to mount my kicker bracket on my boat last week.  Well I drilled (4) 1/4" holes into my transom.  Great news was that she was dry as a bone not bad for a 1981 boat.  The strange thing was that it smelled something strong of cedar and more red than other woods I have seen.  Now before you all jump all over me I have been wood working for 12 years and have been around all sorts of different wood.  I also checked this with my buddy's father that has been building furniture and wood working for 30+ years and also said it was very close to cedar if it wasn't. 

 

Now do they or did they use cedar in marine applications at some point?  I can't believe this is the original transom as I have only owned the boat for 4 years.  I have also mounted other things on other people's transoms and nothing I have seen looked or smelled like this.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Chas0218

[jimski2]

Back in the 1950's there were a lot of 14 foot cedar strip boats around. Made around Lake Nipigon in Canada. When trailering them you took the 10 HP outboard off the transom. Then aluminum and fiberglass boats came around and the cedar boats disappeared. I used a 14 foot cedar strip lapstrake boat in Ketchikan in the early 60's.

[Nessmuk]

With out seeing it, one can only guess. A close up picture showing the grain would help. Is the wood stained red? Typical wood boat construction in the NE US was

white cedar planking over white oak frames/ribs with white oak or mahogany transom. Who built the boat? 1981 seems late for a mass produced boat.

My guess is mahogany which, though reddish color, is more brown. There are various species of mahogany with slight color variations. Western red cedar (I've worked with it) is possible but not desirable for a transom. Another contender is redwood, not desirable for a transom.

[Chas0218]

Hmmm makes me wonder then. It's a 1981 Proline. I can't imagine the transom to be original to the boat but if it was replaced they removed the cap to do so. There isn't any signs of it being replaced.

Sent from my thinking chair...

[rolmops]

It would make sense. Cedar does not rot. That's why they make roof tile from cedar and expect the roofs to last 50 years. You got yourself a very good transom there and the cedar smell will keep the bugs away.

Is this the 23 foot 1982 you mentioned on the I-boats website in 2011?

Edited May 7, 2014 by rolmops

[Chas0218]

Actually yes.  That was when I purchased the boat. It ended up being an 81 and not an 82.

[ray koziatek]

pour 1 gal of gas in the boat and light it if it burns its cedar.....the good news is that will be the last 4.00 you will dump in her..........plus the S.C.F.D. would like something to do today..