Damaged Lower unit

[rtoomey641]

Hello I have a 5.7 GSI Volvo Penta DP drive lower unit hit ground after winch hook failed and boat came off trailer.No visible damage to hull but lower unit has a hole in front on bottom as drive was trimmed al the way up at the time of impact. Can lower unit be welded and can water get into bilge through this hole as I now have water coming in.Thanks rtoomey641

 

[tpenfield]

Pictures would help . . .

Tell us more about the water coming into the boat . . . it could be from additional damage.

 

[rtoomey641]

I have a couple pics but they wont upload don't show much but boat listing aground at dock. Stern hit hard but aside from a few chips in fiberglass on hull I cant see any cracks or anything even on outdrive no visible damage except hole in lower unit witch is at least the size of a quarter. When I got boat back on trailer I put it in water and bilge pump came on within a couple minutes and was pumping pretty good I wanted to know if water could get in through lower unit or if there is possibly hidden damage that is causing it. It went up at about 45 degree angle came off trailer and hit hard stern first. I know it probably took water in through bilge drains when it was on its side and it was for a couple hours do you think it could have been water already in there? Thanks for your help your thoughts on this are much appreciated.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Not thru the lower unit but from the transom if that broke some mounting bolts or loosened the gasket seal

 

[rtoomey641]

Ok probably broke seal I don't see any broken bolts can lower unit be welded or is it trash?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,.... Weldin' the case would be pretty Ify,....
With an impact like that, the case is probably distorted as well as holed,...

As for the water, I'm guessin' the transom assembly has pulled away from the fiberglass of the hull, breakin' the inner plate,...

 

[Scott Danforth]

Volvo drives have a low water pickup on the bottom of the nose. It is a round hole.

Post a pic before you do anything

 

[jimmbo]

You really need to stick you head into the bilge to see if water is leaking around the transom bracket, or somewhere else.

Where you loading or launching when the winch hook broke?

Keel damage? Any fittings, tabs, ladders pulled off?

Several good pictures would help

 

[BRICH1260]

You better call your insurance company. I think your problems are going to get expensive.

 

[jimmbo]

You better call your insurance company. I think your problems are going to get expensive.

Yep

 

[rtoomey641]

Ok got a little better look today put boat in water on trailer until water was up to swim platform and no water was coming in I think it was water that came in when it was on its side and some spillage from freshwater tank and black water tank no cracks in hull just some chips off of the fiberglass and hole in lower unit. Trims up and down fine. Can I get an outdrive with a different gear ratio (upper and lower) or do I need the same? Also can I just fill cracks with gelcoat or do I need to have marina fix they want $1500 for the fiberglass work and its only some chips here and there and I thought that was expensive. No damage to anything else other than a broken trim tab bolt Wellcraft are tough sob. Will get some good pics tomorrow and try to post. Thanks

 

[jimmbo]

A different gear ratio will involve repropping, and still may result in substandard performance compared to the original drive, even though the rpms are correct.. Gelcoat is not very flexible so it does crack easily. But in one sentence you say there are no cracks in the hull, then a couple of sentences later you are talking about filling cracks?
What you can't see is, was there any delamination of the glass layers? Some tapping with a plastic mallet might reveal any issues

 

[rtoomey641]

No Title

Here are some pics Do you think hull is ok to fix how strong are they?

 

[bruceb58]

Volvo drives have a low water pickup on the bottom of the nose. It is a round hole.

Not on any SX drives.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I stand corrected. I thought the SX drive also carried the lower water pickup.

however the pic from the OP shows the outdrive rode a while on the hard and ground thru

 

[bruceb58]

however the pic from the OP shows the outdrive rode a while on the hard and ground thru

Yeah...he created a new water pickup...too bad it is into an area containing oil!

 

[Dave-R]

My friend had the same experience with a roller trailer also. The first thing I do on every boat I get is install a safety chain. Sorry this happened to you. I can't see any cracks in the pictures that can't be repaired . The pictures are not very clear. The shops that repair props can usually weld skeggs, I would pull the drive, drain it and see if they can weld it. What are you out? Although as Bondo said it may have stressed the housing to much. Your call. Dave-R

 

[rtoomey641]

I guess there is no way to tell if hull is to stressed to fix correct?

 

[Scott Danforth]

hull looks like cosmetic damage with the brunt being taken by your outdrive

I would talk to your insurance agent

 

[rtoomey641]

So ended up with minor fglass damage a nd I got a sweet deal on rebuilt SX drive insurance covered everything back on water midweek woohoo! Shumway Marine Rochester good people