[SkunkBoat]

I wouldn't panic...yet..

Nearly all 30+ year old boats have water at the bottom of the transom. The effect of multiple screw holes from transducers over the years and the screws and opening at the drain. Also, the stringers had holes drilled at the transom that weren't sealed. The stringer wood butted against the transom wood with no glass in between

Remove the garboard drain. Let it drip.
You can try a pattern of 1/8" test holes as stated but you can do them inside instead of outside. get a sense of what wood is wet and soft and black. If a hole is suspect drill it bigger to get a good look.
A few inches at the bottom isn't a death sentence.

Check the stringers in a few places too!

Do the thumping test also.

If you saw my video you see that the corners of the cutout are a susceptible spot. There was wet black mush in the corners and at the bottom near old screw holes. But as I stated in the video, I think my concern was overblown and that remaining wood wasn't in danger of catastrophic failure.

If possible, remove the motor and get under the trim there, cut off the glass and look at the top of the wood. Dig in the motor mount holes to look for black mush. Then it's all up to you to decide what to do.


I wouldn't use 5200 to refill holes. Use epoxy in a syringe. You have to fill from the back of the hole out, if that makes sense. Otherwise you are just making a bubble on the outside.