Shorten the lapstrakes/ keel vs. repair the screw damage?

[Cruiser Bob]

Gentlemen,
I've just pullded the transom off of my 58 Crusiers Inc 502 Vacationer. The ends of the lapstrakes have the swiss cheese effect from the screws being removed. Are there any pitfalls to be aware of if I cut this damaged wood off; shortening the overall length? Does this affect the taper of how the transom reconnects to the lapstrakes? Am I better off repairing the damage or cutting it off? I did a search of the old threads and couldn't find anything specific. Thanks for the help.
Bob

[Torchie]

I personally would repair the strakes. I hqve seen this type of "repair" done to lapstrake boats before and I can't say that it appeals to me.
Karl.

[JoeCB]

torchie is right if you really want to do it RIGHT... but depending on your situation/capabilities/budget/time.. cutting off 2 or 3 inches and putting it all back together in presentable fashion can be done. Someone had done that to my Sea Lancer in the past and unless you take a tape measure to the length of the boat, I don't believe most of us would recognize the repair. Either way , you likley need to build a new transom as thats would be swiss cheese too.
Joe B

[sayuncle]

My one time experience on this subject does not directly apply to yours since my boat is a cedar strip. The ends of most of the strips on my boat were rotted or damaged from abuse. I decided to remove the transom and move it forward 1.5" and then cut off all the strips to match. As Bob stated, you would not be able to tell without measuring. Although you can tell by the difference in distance between the transom and the first rib. One thing to consider is how much you cut off. Go far enough as to eliminate one rib, or just enough to remove the damage. I am also planning on plugging the screw holes in the transom before reinstalling. Good Luck!! Brad