WOOD TRANSOMS: WHEN WHERE THEY PHASED OUT OF FIBER GLASS BASS BOATS?

LOOKING TO BUY A USED BOAT. I SEE ALOT OF EARLY 90'S TO EARLY 2000 FOR SALE. BUT DON'T WANT ANYTHING WITH A WOOD TRANSOM. WHEN DID BASSCAT,RANGER,SKEETER,TRITON,LEGEND AND OTHER TOP MAKERS STOP USING WOOD IN THEIR TRANSOM?

They all varied. I think ranger was an earlier one who switched to composites. Champion was about 1999-2000 and I believe basscat soon after that.

I believe Skeeter was around 1998.

On Skeeters they first used a "c" moniker to indicate a composite transoms. So for example in 1998 you may see a zx 185 and a zx185C. The c was composite the other was not.

Im guessing some of the lower models still use wood.

Ranger started composite transoms around 1989, so any 1990 or newer Ranger should be good! Still need to check all the used boat transoms though. Even the composite transoms have failed!

Paul Allison developed the 1st in the mid 80's. Ranger, Skeeter and other cutting-edge bass boat manufacturers followed years later. I could be mistaken, but I think my '94 Skeeter ZX202c was one of the first all composite and aluminum hulls sold commercially, other than Allisons.

The history of Allison and the many innovations of theirs we all use on our boats today is astounding!

In 1988 Ranger went to pulltruded fiberglass in their transoms and stringers. The rest(wood) was history. I had my pristine 1992 Ranger 361v wiped out on the freeway a couple years ago. Slid down the highway off the trailer. Ripped the outboard off. The boat didn't have a stress crack on it. Minor fiberglass repairs. Trailer was totaled and had to replace trim/tilt, scag...on motor and that boat still fishes with a friend I gifted it to. Absolute tanks!

My '98 Champion has a fiberglass transom. No wood.

Are you sure? I have replaced a ton of transoms in 98 Champions

My 1997 ZX 185c was an all composite hull.

Minus the Bondo!

Bondo is a composite. Not my fault they left all those stumps in Ray Bob.

My '01 Champ has a baltec (sp?) transom. Champion went to composite when they moved to TN. Late 2002-2003.

My buddy replaced his 1999, it was wood

Champion actually held on the practice of using wood longer than most.

Skeeter and Ranger both made the switch fairly early. Triton never made fiberglass bass boats with wood transoms. Theirs were fiberglass when they began making boats in 1997 (I've got a first-year model sitting in the shop at home). As others have said, Champion was one of the last to the party. I'd be interested to know when Nitro, Bass Cat, and others made the switch.

Bass cat went all fiberglass in 2000.

@ Classic Fiberglass and 361 V - I have all the original info. on the '98 Champion I have and I believe it says it has a composite or fiberglass transom. Not sure exactly what that all means. You (Classic) worked on fixing some gouges and did some other minor hull work on it a few years ago. All the paperwork is in the boat right now. It's covered and always has been so I'm not going to go and get it out today. It has only been wet from rain on the inside a couple of times and have only had water come over the stern a couple of times when the weather changed and I had to pull out with the north wind howling at the Jordan Park ramp on LRR. Always dry when the plug comes out and everything still sounds good when I tap on it, so I'm not too worried.

I had a 1991 dynatrak by betide that had a composite transom