Transom help On a v20 center console

drj · #1 07-17-2007, 11:37 PM

Can Someone Please give me some suggestions or ideas of how to do a fiberglass transom repair and strengthened. Here is the problem. The transom was replaced professionally and he did a good job except he left space between the new wood and the old fiberglass. I know how to handle that just grind and re glass the corners of the motor well. From there I'm stuck. The last owner did a botch fiberglass job to shorten the transom for a 20 inch motor. he did not glass the top of the wood good after he cut it but there there appears to be no problem. the problem is where the bolt holes are. Water got in fro the lack of silicone on the bolts and rotted a 3 inch radius around each hole. Can someone please tell me how i can tie in a piece on the top to make it a 20 inch transom again and fix the holes. The transom is not in horrible condition I took an old Johnson 120 off of it and will replace it with a 200 this is not overrated for the boat but I want to make sure with a bigger motor that I do not have any problems.
Please help
thanks

tsubaki · #2 07-18-2007, 07:45 AM

Welcome to the site.
To me it sounds like a redo (once again) of the transom is needed, to be done correctly and finished correctly, especially of you need a taller transom.
There are a lot of threads on this site that covers transom rebuilds, different approaches and materials. Personally I've always questioned if it rotted once why are you going back with wood again?
My first floor rebuild was useing pressure treated plywood and that was a huge mistake. The glass wouldn't stick to it and it was always "spongey" feeling, yet it didn't rot.
Search the threads in "repairs" and "modifications".

msbhammer · #3 07-18-2007, 09:12 AM

Welcome to the site. You might want to get up with Randleman and look at his pictures in his gallery. The last owner of his V fabricated some steel that layed ontop of the transom so he could go with a longer shaft motor. Post Pics. of your transom. Someone should be able to help ya. ;)

msbhammer · #4 07-18-2007, 09:18 AM

Here's some pics. of Randlemans V. He should have a few other pics. somewhere showing a better sot. But you get the idea. The bracket that was made raised the motor up higher and wraps over the transom. Through bolt it, drill new motor mount holes and it should work.

macojoe · #5 07-18-2007, 10:23 AM

What has to be done is redo, Now if it was I and I wanted to use the boat and the transom is solid, no flexing, I would bolt and go!!

see the water that got in there is still there and over time is going to rot some more. But it is going to take time!!

Is it solid right now?? with motor on and you lean on the leg is the transom moving, cracking noise or anything??
If not use it, keep a eye on it, when she is moving or anything redo again.

Find some 1/2 alum plate and put on the bolts as a backing plate lets sat 3" X 12" or so drill to match the bolt holes, use some longer bolts to mount motor.
This will help distraput the weight,better

Good luck

bradford · #6 07-18-2007, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macojoe

This will help distraput the weight,better

Wut win tokka sed. * ;D ;D ;D

I have a boat to get out on the water, there are several small projects going on at all times (like on most older boats) but she is still functional. If I had to tear her down for everything that needed to be done I'd never get to use her. Read about others projects concerning the same topic and use your best judgement.

Stillrunning · #7 07-18-2007, 05:02 PM

Its kind of hard to follow what you are talking about and if you could post some pic's that would really help. Is the gap you talking about between the splash well and the transom near the corners where it goes back up? If so mine was the same way and was covered up by a cap. That should be ok if the transom was sealed as I think it would have been.

drj · #8 07-18-2007, 10:42 PM

Thanks guys for the quick replies. I think though if I have to replace the transom I'm going to do it now while I have the whole boat gutted and before I paint. I'm going to take pictures tomorrow because the boat is at my dads work and not here at home and then you guys can see whats going on.

Now to answer your questions.
I leaned hard on the motor and the transom flexed just about 1/8 of an inch. There were also some small cracks on either side of the engine . I ground off a little of the loose fiberglass on the top and the transom hollow between the wood and the glass such that you can see into the bilge. The wood is laminated well though so I think the replacement transom was never flush against the old glass.

I am going to take some pictures because I can only imagine how hard it is to understand what I am saying.

Thanks again

#9 07-19-2007, 02:03 AM

i think i follow what ur saying doc. to fill that gap, if i chose that route, i would find my nearest spray foam insulation contractor and have him fill that void wth closed cell (rigid) foam. would prob be cheap if you could pull ur boat to a jobsite where he is already spraying. then reclass the cap and no worries.

keeping in mind that this will not fix any wet or rotten spots that already exist in ur transom. nor will it raise it any. if you do wanna get it rite, like you said, nows the time.

Stillrunning · #10 07-19-2007, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drj

Thanks guys for the quick replies. *I think though if I have to replace the transom I'm going to do it now while I have the whole boat gutted and before I paint. *I'm going to take pictures tomorrow because the boat is at my dads work and not here at home and then you guys can see whats going on.

Now to answer your questions.
I leaned hard on the motor and the transom flexed just about *1/8 of an inch. *There were also some small cracks on either side of the engine . *I ground off a little of the loose fiberglass on the top and the transom hollow between the wood and the glass such that you can see into the bilge. *The wood is laminated well though so I think the replacement transom was never flush against the old glass. *

I am going to take some pictures because I can only imagine how hard it is to understand what I am saying. *

Thanks again

When I took my 1983 v20 apart there was somewhat of a gap between the splash well and the transom. Where the two top bolts to the engine went in the splash well there was little to no gap and the gaps where on the father out from the engine. Well craft had used what looked like body fill to cover these gaps. When we but mine back together we took a good amount of body filler and ran it about 4 inches down on the inside of the transom about an inch thick. When we put the inside shell in it squezed out the excess and we just cleaned it up some.