transom and other stuff
 

My '73 V-20 CC has had its original transom repaired at some point before I bought it. I cant really tell the integrity of it but it makes me nervous going out in rough seas on Lake Ontario. I have a feeling the repair was a bandaid to the rot problem. someone bolted (both sides) a 3/16" sheet of stainless steel to the transom. Bolted through. If I lift my outboard (Yam. 150) and grab the prop for leverage, the transom does give a little. I'm not sure if any give at all is bad news!!
about a month ago, you guys set me up in the gallery so I can post some pics, but as soon as you did, got blasted with more snow so no pics. We've got nice weather now, I can take some pics and you guys can give me your opinions. My guess is it's new transom time. This kills me, fishing season starts in 1 week!!!
Damn, what to do. bag the year of boating to fix it or go for it.

Mike

Re: transom and other stuff
 

Well if you are getting movement then it is time to fix!!
You can drill a few 1/4 inch holes on the inside of the transome to see what comes out?? If dark dirt looking stuff comes out it is rot!! Just fill the hole back in with some epoxy after.
That motor if 390 # is alot of weight to be bouncing around when you trailer! If you don't fell safe about itthen I think you have answered your own question!! I no it sucks! But you have the hole season to fish! So you miss a little, better then getting killed over it! And if you go out with the transom falling off and you are just floating around in that cold water thats is just whats going to happen!!
That 73 has no floation in it so when it goes is gone!

Good Luck

Re: transom and other stuff
 

my investigation would then turn to "how to fix". I'm a handy guy who restored this whole boat, but I'm not sure what I'm getting into here. I guess you cut the transom off the boat for starters.
I'm going to drill those holes and see what comes out first. Fill with 5200? or something stronger?


Mike

Re: transom and other stuff
 

5200 will be fine!!
You might want to look into a composit transom?? I have never had to do a whole transom before?? But the composit looks to me to be the easyest. What you do is open the top of the transom by cutting it open, then you use what ever tools you need to do to dig out all the rotted wood. After you have it all cleaned and ready to go you mix this to part composit and pour it into the empty hole you have now made, After it has dryed you can drill it for you new motor mounts and you now have a rot proff water prof transom.
Of coarse this is the short version of the project!! And you will have to read all the steps to doing it.
I was going to do this to mine if it came down to it but I was lucky to have to just fix the hole were the outdrive went thur.

Here are some links: The first one tells you alot! and how to check for the bad transom.

http://www.islandcoastboatworks.com/...a3_article.htm

http://www.transomrepair.com/

http://www.tikiwatersports.com/jobs/transom1.htm

http://www.odayjavelin.com/Transom.html

Re: transom and other stuff
 

I did spend the day checking out transomrepair.com. The pourable transom. I think that would do the trick. couple of points with that though.
1. ALL wood needs to be removed. That is a daunting task. port and starboard ends of the transom are tough to get at. The top of the transom sits under the aft gunnel.
2. Need to keep both sides of the fiberglass. I've read ideas of chainsawing, drilling etc. but this it tough when you can't poke a hole in either side. But I think a good solid day's work would probably clean that transom out of all the wood. I guess you right down below the bilge drain to the hull bottom. I picture pouring this stuff in and it running out into the bilge! That would suck.
3. This stuff will not bond to any wood whatsoever.

Anyone try this stuff?

Mike

Re: transom and other stuff
 

Never been down this road, but I can imagine removing all of the wood as possible and then being left with a very thin layer of wood still attached to the glass on both sides. What then?

You wouldn't have the access to sand it clean. Would you need to coat these surfaces with a layer of resin or glass and resin before filling with the composite ???

Re: transom and other stuff
 

Ok, I got the scoop from Seacast via a phone call today. They were real helpful. I uncap the top of the transom first. Than most people use a chainsaw, some use a drill bit, and basically whatever works to remove all the wood. Now to answer seakindly's question: If there is only a small layer of plywood still stuck to the fiberglass, leave it. She said it would still have a lot of resin on it and it would be safe to leave and would bond fined with the seacast.
My next question is this:
Do I raise the transom to the gunnel hight and install an outboard bracket? I've always wanted one with a swim platform like Stainless Marine's model.

If I do this what will happen to my Center of Gravity? My scuppers are already below water level. Will hanging the outboard another 18" back change that much?
I need to pull another steering cable, but all my wiring looks to have enough slack to work. Any other drawbacks?

I wonder how long all this is going to take?
I figure probably a good two full days to get rid of the wood transom, a day to glass the extended hight part and a day to pour the seacast (even though its about a 1/2 hour job. I wouldn't mind but its not really that expensive.

Any thoughts??

Mike

Re: transom and other stuff
 

1st of all, I am not buying that business about the wood will have enough resin on it for the seacast to stick to it. I don't believe that the surface of the side of the wood you will be trying to adhere to will be resin coated, unless you do it. Her assurance sounds like someone just trying to convince you that their product is easy to use. It either adheres to wood or it doesn't. I would try very hard to get as much of that wood out of ther and then I would lay down a coat of resin before appling the seacast. Or I would use a different product that does adhere well to wood.

If your scuppers are below the waterline now, then they will be even more below the waterline with a bracket mount, all other things being equal, because the weight will be farther back from the center of gravity.
I don't know if your bracket will be providing flotation or above the waterline adding weight also.

Do you need a full transom? Will you be boating in "big" water. Drifting in tidal inlets, for example.

In another discussion about the stern weight issue, I posted that the anchor roller/platform system that I installed (about 70 lbs total) very nicely balanced out my kicker motor because the weight was so far forward.

Whatever time you think it is gonna take, you can count on it taking longer. It always does. ;D

Re: transom and other stuff
 

Well, I guess I might as well weigh in on this one too. Here's what I would do; If the deflection of the transom doesn't appear to be excessive, I would run it that way for this season. You've already got reinforcement with the stainless steel sheets on either side. If you feel however, that the safety of the boat is compromised at all, by all means, go ahead and replace or repair.
Now, if it were mine, I'd be inclined to cut the outer skin of fiberglass of the complete back of the outside of the transom with a saw. Then it's much easier to remove all the rotted wood but save the inner liner of the transom. Use the skin that was cut out as a template to cut new marine plywood, attach, then epoxy and reglass the outer skin using West System or other comparable epoxy resin/glass system. In the end, I don't think it'll take much longer and I would personnally feel more confident in the final outcome.
That's just my .02 worth though.

Re: transom and other stuff
 

I really appreciate everyones opinion here. I've tried a few things to actually determine the extent of the rot. When I yank on the lower unit of the primary, the transom does move slightly. I can't imagine it didn't do this the day it was new but I don't know. I took a bolt out of the stainless plate and inspected the wood inside the hole and it was a little dark but solid. I'd like to see under the stainless panels.
I think the idea of a full transom with a bracket intrigued me so much I may be jumping the gun, but safety really isn't something I screw with.

Maybe a professional inspection would be in order here. I can describe it all day long but you can't see it.


Mike