Transom Swells about half an inch

[Bygracealone]

Ouch... *That doesn't look good. *Is that fiberglass that's all cracked and delaminated? *How does it look underneath all that mess? *Are those wet wood shavings that are laying on top? *

Definitely got some work ahead of you buddy. *But as said a number of times, this is the place to find the help to get it done right...

[tsubaki]

I haven't read the whole thread but what appears to be going on is the wood used may have been pressed or partical board. This would account for the swelling and shrinking. Letting it dry, removing the cap epoxy and resealing will not fix the problem. Water will wick from the bottom voids and do the same thing. Replacement will be necessary but dosen't appear immediate. Replacement is not as hard or as expensive to preform as most people feel. Just decide if you want to replace with wood, epoxy or fiberglass. Looks like you got plenty of time. Did you do a transom bounce test?

[billfish16]

I did not pull up the cracked fiberglass, I was short on time. I did drill down thru it and the shavings came up clean and appeared to be dry.....it was in the 20's so maybe they were frozen. I was alone and I did stand on the lower unit and bounced lighty, I'm 200lbs, but it was hard to tell if there was movement. I will do some more investigating when I visit the boat in the next week or two. I will post more pics then.

Bill

[tsubaki]

By the way the "cracked fiberglass" may not be fiberglass but an epoxy of some type to fill voids. ;)

[willy]

Where is the swelling you are talking about, is it only at the top where you took the pics?
Did you do as MJ said trying to flex the the transom applying leverage to the lower unit?
If you did and got no flex then I think you might be OK, but you still need to drill a couple of holes and check wood that comes out.
If it comes out OK you may have a simpler repair. There is a chance that is just filler that has deterioated. That filler may not have been put in there by the factory but may be bondo or the like put in to address the appearance by a previous owner.
If it is and all else is strong and DRY, you will be able to grind it out and cap it in fiberglass as Stinky did on his Baby V, check his post out he did a nice job and you will get an idea of what I mean.
If that transom flexes, or you get wet darker wood come out you need to do a transom job, and from the things I have heard there really is only one way to do it right, with lams of marine wood and glass or one of the new (cost prohibitive) structural foams some builders are using now.
Take a look at your motor bolts that go thru the transom, are they dimpled in from wood expanding and the bolts obviously not moving?
Are there cracks along the joints of the motor well or along any parts of where the transom meets any other walls?
Have you looked at the stringer knees where they come up and join the transom? If they are soft, if they have cracks running along where they join the wall of the transom you will have your answer because you will need to address them right away and do the transom at the same time. It would not be safe to operate the boat under those circumstances.

[Stillrunning]

The only thing in the rear of the boat that could swell and shrink wood be the wood. If I'm correct your 2nd pic. is of shavings from drilling into the transom. They look clean but I still have to believe that the wood is getting wet because that the only way it would swell.

[billfish16]

I tried to post addl pics today but I am having issues signing on to my Photobucket acct. Anyway I drilled many holes in the transom and it is not good. Lot's of moisture in the decent wood shavings but more black dirt than wood shavings. I started digging down from the cap and that wood is a mixture of good and bad wood. Even though there is no flex in the transom when I bounce on the motor I am going to re-do the transom. How do I take the motor off and what to I use to lift it? Would an engine lift for a car work? Will it give me the height needed?

thx

[msbhammer]

Billfish,
You need to disconnect the positive battery cable running to the motor, remove the fuel line, power harness...that just unplugs and the steering cable.
A car engine hoist will do fine. You will or might need a engine lift eye.
Sounds like your new to this, you could replace the transom from cutting out the outter skin, or removing "citting: the cap off. Its alot of work. I'm doing one now and the cost is running up big time. I would suggest pulling the motor off and cutting out all the rotten wood with a chain saw and simply pouring in Seacast. The cost and time should be cheaper and easier on you. Let us know what you decide. Good luck. ;)

[billfish16]

Hammer,

Thanks. If I can not get a lifting eye to screw into the motor how do I secure the motor to the lift??? straps, rope? I imagine a chain would damage the finish.

Regarding Seacast. I read that it does not stick to wood. Is it close to impossible to remove ALL the wood? If so, can you coat the remaining small amout of wood with Epoxy to give the Seacast something to stick to?


thx

[macojoe]

Thanks. If I can not get a lifting eye to screw into the motor how do I secure the motor to the lift straps, rope? I imagine a chain would damage the finish.

I use a 3" wide yellow strap, I make my own harness, and it is different everytime!! LOL

When doing this you have to make sure that you tie under the front of the motor to the top of the harness, as it will tilt forward and filp up side down, Don't ask how I know!! :-X

Just go slow and becareful not to have ant fingers around! You will be fine!

I have done this many times and I will be doing it again soon when the new motor gets here, and this will be a 225 hp bigest I have had to do yet!