SeaCraft transom/etc

[JohnB]

All,
I just purchased a 1988 SeaCraft Scepter cuddy cabin. After shopping for about 3 months,
this was the best SeaCraft I could find in my budget. It had about 15 little things wrong with it
that I have fixed, but there was one issue I new when I bought it I would have to deal with.
The previous owner had put in scuppers and had not sealed them correctls (or at all for that
matter). The transom is wet, (electronic moisture meter test), but is solid. 2 200 pound people
standing on the motor could not even flex it. The sea test showed 0 movement, and a
percussion test showed no delamination/rot. The options so far have been:
1. Use it until rot or movement is detected, then deal with it.
2. Remove all the wood in the transom and use SeaCast pourable transom repair.
3. Dry it and use an epoxy repair filler to treat the wood.
4. Cut it out completly and put in a solid transome with a plate for the outboard.
Finally, does anyone have an idea how to dry out the transom.
Thanks in advance for you input

[Trayder]

JimB-

Welcome to the site.

My opinion on the solution: If it aint broke don't fix it. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] It sounds as though you may be fine and it could take 5+ til it rots if it is in fact just "wet".

What you probably should do:

Repair it:

If you look at Hammers 20 page 2 you will see one of the easist and strongest solutions to your issue. Since the wetness is coming from the scuppers you probably do not have any rot in the outward most corners of the transom core. As seen in Hammer's case. Therefor you will be able to cut away a decent section of your transom replace the core and then laminate the original skin back on, nice and relativly easy.

Drying it out. Hmmmm, I have heard of whaler owners hooking up a shop vac to a hole they drilled in the hull and sucking the water out over a long period of time. I doubt plywood would allow water out of it as foam core would, so sucking it out is "out".

Maybe cut a section away like seen in Hammers transom repair and let it sit for a week or two. This way when you remove the skin you will know for sure if it is Wet or Rotten and if it is just wet then leave the skin off and alow it to dry then epoxy it back into place.

I have heard mixed reviews of Seacast. If it were myself I would rather replace the core myself and know for sure everything has bonded well then pour a mixture in to a transom, not to mention how difficult it will be to remove a non rotten core the way SeaCast recomends.

[JohnB]

Trayder,
Thanks for the info. By the way, great site!!
I just bought the boat a couple of weeks ago, and the transom isn't going to fall off any time soon. Unless you had a moister tester, I doubt you could tell it was wet. When I was shopping for boats, I used a moisture meter, and 85% of the outboard boats that I looked at that where over 4 years old (not on a bracket), had wet transoms. I will probably leave it for now, just investigating options. I have done transoms on bass boats, skiffs, and center consoles. I was just looking for any tribal knowledge specific to SeaCrafts. The people from seacast are in Edgewater FL, (about 40 miles from me), and have invited me over to look at the product, and some boats that have been repaired. The say it is now being used in new boat construction, but they did not say who is using it.
Thanks again,
John

[Trayder]

JohnB-

Please keep us updated as to your plans.

One last thing.. If you have looked around this site you may have noticed we are missing something.......Pictures of Sceptre's
If you have some of your boat and would like them online feel free to E-mail them to me.

Alos would love to hear your opinions on SeaCast after you visit the factory. Nothing beast first hand knowledge [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[JohnB]

Here's some picts.
Once I get it cleaned up and squared away, I'll document it better.
http://www.revcmpsys.com/fishing/picts/boat/1.jpg
http://www.revcmpsys.com/fishing/picts/boat/2.jpg
http://www.revcmpsys.com/fishing/picts/boat/3.jpg
John

[Scott]

JohnB

What was the verdict on the transom....have you pursued/probed into it anymore...

I have a similar situation (I think as do many here)....pretty wet but seemingly sound.....

[JohnB]

Scott/All,
I pulled the trim along the top of the transom off last weekend. I addition, I pulled all the screws out of the transom (trim tabs, etc). No water came out, and the wood seemed to be intact. The top where the trim was did not seem to be sealed too well (I don't know if this is characteristic of SeaCraft, or done by the previous owner). I cleaned out and opened up that area and put a space heater on it for 5 days. I came back and epoxy glassed the entire area on top between the hull and the liner. I rebeaded all the screws. The wood seems to be pretty solid. After all this, I retested the transome for wetness, and it was 15-20%. I will watch and wait for now.

[ March 28, 2002, 12:09 PM: Message edited by: JohnB ]

[John R]

JohnB - how much is that moisture tester? Or can they be rented anywhere?

Thanks....

[JohnB]

John R,
The moisture tester I use is
http://www.jroverseas.com/modelgrp.htm
What you will find is most wood transoms in outboard
cutout designs are wet 20-30% moistuer (damp)
after 4-6 years for one reason
or another (my opinion).

[John R]

Thanks....