Wet transom

Fr. Frank · #1 10-23-2009, 08:04 AM

The transom on my '72 Seafari was replaced by the previous owner in the mid 80's. In looking to find a leak, I pulled the motor mounting bolts and discovered my transom is wet inside - all four bolt holes. SO I drilled 3 more 1/8" pilot holes, and discovered it is wet from side to side at 6" above the hull bottom. Yet standing on the cavitation plate of my 375 lb motor and bouncing shows no flex in the transom.
Guys, I'm out of my league when it comes to fiberglass. How soon does this need to be addressed?

DonV · #2 10-23-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

How soon does this need to be addressed?

Frank, this is one of those "how much worry can you handle" issues?? You may not have problems for a long time, however one rough day on the water and that may all change. With my brother's transom it went from a little engine wobble to severe cracks and extreme wobble coming back in in four footers. It's a fine line.......

ricknewman · #3 10-23-2009, 10:53 AM

Let her go until you notice some flexing. Keep an eye on it though. I did the same type of exploratory hole drilling with the same results pretty much and replaced my transom to find when I removed the inner glass that it wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared.

Fr. Frank · #4 10-23-2009, 04:07 PM

Okay. I got 3 estimates on replacing the transom. Each has one set assuming: (a) I did all the de-rigging and re-rigging, and one set assuming (b) I pull the boat in as is and they do all the work.

All estimates included raising the transom to either 25" or 30", and glassing in the through-hull deck scuppers, and having the deck drain into the bilge. Mercury makes a both 25" and 30" drive shafts, shift shafts, and water tubes for my 90 Optimax, and I would have to use one or two 5" mid housing adapters, about $300 each plus studs. Either that or repower with the appropriate length motor. (I really like the 350SCi Verado)

With me (200 lbs) standing in the back, I currently get about 3/4" of water on the deck with the drains open. And they leak into the bilge now.

Shop 1: using marine plywood
A = $2,100
B = $3,700

Shop 2: using Coosa
A = 2,250
B = 2,900

Shop 3: using either
A = $1,800 with plywood, $2,100 with composite
B = $2,500 with plywood, $2,800 with composite

FTR, the last transom replacement has lasted 26 years, using plywood.

BigLew · #5 10-23-2009, 06:28 PM

Fr.Frank,

Compared to the numbers mentioned elsewhere on the forum, I'd say it is down to one more complete estimate and a thorough check of references, including asking your suppliers of estimates to recommend another shop if for some reason they couldn't do the job. This should result in a pretty good picture of who the customers like and who the shops repect as competent competitors. You might even find a shop or two recommend by the "Pros" that you haven't checked with, but who you might want to before deciding on a shop.

Just my 2cents. Good luck.

wavelength · #6 10-24-2009, 10:15 AM

Why would you not just take to Hermco??? He did a great job on mine and he supports this forum. Unless you've moved from Citrus County there is no one around here that can match his quality.

McGillicuddy · #7 10-24-2009, 02:42 PM

Rats! Have you considered the pourable transom replacement products (Seacast, etc.)? Seems that a long auger and 36" crow bar to bore out and get out the bad wood would do a tidy, if tedious job, with a fraction of the typical glasswork... Seems somebody had mentioned a product similar to seacast that was about half the price...Think of it as casting bigger bullets

good luck

eggsuckindog · #8 10-25-2009, 11:12 PM

Mike at American marine used a chain saw to get most of his out from the top

JohnB · #9 10-31-2009, 03:35 PM

On my 23 Sceptre, the transom was wet for a couple of years before I redid it. It had a 250 Merc efi on it, there was some flex, but not excessive. There is a lot of glass in these boats, at least there was in mine. If you were closer, I would loan you my moisture meter, and you could tell exactly where and how bad it is. I have surveyed and looked at a bunch of boat for people, and almost all boats over 10 years old, especially if they were left in the water had wet transoms, regardless of manufacture. Many show no flex or weakness, but the moisture meter would show water.

Bigshrimpin · #10 10-31-2009, 04:35 PM

Frank - My 18 has a worm dirt transom reinforced with 2 aluminum plates . . . Zero flex. No need to blow 2k if it's just wet. Wood takes a long time to rot . . . and the old wood is much much easier to remove when it turns to mush. I say drill some more holes and wait 3 - 5 years until it's ripe for replacing.