Wet transom

[Fr. Frank]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[Fr. Frank]

I would love to take it to Don. But the simple truth is that I cannot afford for any of them to do any of this right now. It will have to wait. So when I go to the Keys in a month, I'll be taking my 16' 1966 Wellcraft bowrider.

Since I often go out a long way, (30+ miles), and also into seas up to 4'-7', I'll now confine the Seafari to close-in waters until I get this fixed.

[McGillicuddy]

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]

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

[Fr. Frank]

... a chain saw ...

You know, Dixon, that sounds like it will work. I went and checked and with a 21" bar on my chainsaw, I could get all but the corners. I'll have to ponder that for a while.