Transom Evaluation

[77SceptreOB]

I'm just starting a renovation of our family 1977 Seacraft 23' Sceptre. I'm planning on repowering the boat after I work on some of the other cosmetic stuff.

Before I repower, I want to make SURE my transom is in good shape. How do I go about doing this evaluation??

What is the process??

[77SceptreOB]

OK, I've read a bunch of "transom" threads on the forums. Seems like the standard, easy, rule of thumb is: Stand on the motor cavitation plate and jump / move up and down and the transom should not flex more than 1/2".

Anybody got a more scientific method of evaluation that is not overly destructive (i.e. cutting or busting into the transom) ???

[NoBones]

Remove some screws IE: Trim tabs, Transducer, dive ladder,
etc. Look for any water seeping out. Take a scribe and
dig a little wood from the screw hole, check it for moisture.
You can also use a rubber mallet and pound on different
places on the transom, listen for any hollow sounds.
Good luck with the re-do.

See ya, Ken

[joshmon71]

lemme tell ya, i was looking at SC's for over a year, and when I started to climb onto one with the owner nearby to do a bounce check o transom, I thought he was gonna punch me like I was Borat or something from azakistan. def do this as you own it . look in the bilge are the stringers tabbed to the transom indicating a rebuild somewhere along line?

[joema]

TO BESAFE JUST FIGGER ON REPLACING IT

[77SceptreOB]

We have owned this boat from day one. My dad's pride and joy. So no transom work in the past - for sure. Also this boat was stored on our trailer in a big, dry, warehouse (inland not near salt water, etc.)when not in use from 1977 - 1997. When we repowered in '88 the transom was good. From 1998 untill now it has been stored outside in a field, no protection from the elements, but not near salt water either. We took out the interior drain/scuppers and transom drain plugs and raised the trailer / bow of the boat for proper drainage. It has been sitting that way for about 5 years w/o any use. I'm coming to pick up / rescue the boat from Florida, where my brother lives and has kept the boat.

[McGillicuddy]

Fresh water rots wood much faster than saltwater when exposed to air, where saltwater actually kind of pickles wood. All that FL rain can be hard on boat's wood parts that way.

If you don't have a dozen or 2 holes in the transom from every ladder and transducer ever made, you're probably fine. If your transom moves a half inch when you bounce on the cavitation plate I'd dig deeper... Mines pretty wet but doesn't flex at all...

If the top of your transom had the aluminum cap you may have had seepage there also.

A moisture meter can be useful or drill a hole and see if the wood comes out brown and saw dusty or dark and wet mulchy.

When you re-power, check those mounting holes. If they're dry you're probably fine.

Definitely check your drain tubes and scuppers cuz if you haven't replaced them before they are probably due...

[Tiny]

If you are serious about fishing it, pull the fuel tank, pressure test it, and clean under it. Each potter we have ever had needed a new tank soon enough...often this could have been prevented if someone would have taken a little time to service the tank, every ten years or so would have been fine sounds like you have a good one, keep it that way. Worst case you need a new tank, better to find out now than when you run it hard one day and fuel starts leaking into the bilge.

[77SceptreOB]

Yep, the fuel tank is high on my priority list. I'm sure I'll be asking some opinions when that baby comes out, after draining some 5 year old gas out!!


Just loaded some pics in the "Picture" forum.

[jonesg]

the only sure fire test I found is drill and inspect the drill chips in your hand.
Mine passed all the usual tests, banging with a rubber mallet etc but it was still rotted out.

I assume they're shot and hope to be proven wrong.