discoloration near drain hole

[backlash1]

i have a 1982 Glastron SSV 167. i was looking at the inside of the transom near the drain hole yesterday and saw some discoloration. it's kinda gray for about an inch or so around the hole. i poked at it with my finger and it didn't feel spongy or anything, just kinda gray. is this anything i need to worry about, or just the way it looks after 24 years. also, is there anything easy i can do to prevent any further discoloration, or rot in that section of the transom?

 

[dmarkvid2]

Re: discoloration near drain hole

Is the inside of your transom wood, or is it fiberglassed? If its wood you can get some kind of pick (like an ice pick) and see if you have rot by seeing how far the pick goes in

 

[sdunt]

Re: discoloration near drain hole

The official test for rotting work in a fiberglass laminate is to drill a hole, from the inside where you better hide it, through the fiberglass into the wood. If the wood that come out is wet, you have problems. If its dry, fill the hole up with epoxy and that it.

Any discoloration to me would indicate that there is something going on, and even the fiberglass and wood separating would not be good.

also if there is rot in that area, its hard to know how extensive it is with out drilling lots of test holes.

 

[backlash1]

Re: discoloration near drain hole

what would i have to do if there is rot? is there an alternative to extensive and expensive transom repair?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: discoloration near drain hole

not really, and glastrons are prone it have problems with transoms and stringers.

 

[jtexas]

Re: discoloration near drain hole

Hope this isn't too late...

I experienced the same thing around the splashwell drain. Dug out a cavity of rotten wood about half the thickness of the transom, about maybe five, six inches across, roughly circular area. On advice of the guys at West Marine, I filled it in with 3m High Strength Marine Filler - it's a 2-part putty. Fiberglassed over it.

I didn't treat it with anything to kill the rot though. That was three years ago...I am convinced I removed all the soft wood, but I don't know if rot has continued to spread, although I haven't seen any evidence of it. Since then, the most convincing article I've read about stopping rot advised applying anti-freeze to the area and drying it out before filling.

Sorry don't still have the link - they tested various products and got better results than with bleach or some other commercial rot killing products. I know that glycol is a killer, not sure why it would be better than bleach but then I'm no chemist.

good luck...

 

[texomatom]

Re: discoloration near drain hole

Could it just be stained gelcoat?
Just a thought.

Tom