[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by Macrenovations

Question on the transom? Pulled the motor and the transom seems very soid but the previous owner installed a back plate as seen in pic just a junk peace and not the right size and it crushed the inside of the transom about 1/8'' in would I be able to install a larger u-shaped peace and make the glass repair.Or should I just rebuild the whole transom because the being a 73...Thanks again

Dry wood lasts a looooooong time. There are buildings that are over a hundred years old that are still standing. Just because your boat is a 73 doesn't mean it's time to replace everything. Test first.


3 simple tests for your transom

1) TAP the entire transom area with the back end of a screwdriver or use a rubber mallet. I prefer the hard tap of a screwdriver, other's prefer the thunk of the mallet. Either way is good. What you are listening for is a hollow sound. If you find an area that sounds hollow it's an indication of possible trouble.

2) FLEX Lift your motor to trailer position, then pull up and push down on
the lower unit while observing the transom. It should be rock solid and not flex. If it does you have a problem.

3) DRILL a small hole anyplace that sounded hollow in the tap test. Look at the wood chips that come out. If they look like good wood you're ok. If it looks like mush or oatmeal or rotted wood, you have a problem area.

4) SCAN Ok, ok, I know I said there were 3 tests, but there's a 4th way of testing also. If you have it available*, you can use something called thermal imaging. In industry we use it all the time to detect where there are leaks on built up roofs of buildings. After being in the sun all day, at night places where water is present will cool at a different rate than places where there is solid wood or metal. That difference will show on a thermal scan as different colors. So you use a thermal camera to scan the transom and it will show you any temp differences in the transom as color changes. Since water is a better conductor of heat then air, wet areas will cool faster than dry areas. Blue & green colors will be cool areas that are wet and reds and yellows will be warmer areas that are solid wood. You have to do the scan just after sundown as the transom is starting to cool down for the night.

*Remember, I'm talking about a $2000+ industrial camera, not something you buy at Harbor Freight for $39.99.