Hair brain idea to save transom

[dhammann]

The transom on my 17’ I/O is rotted due to a loose thru bolt on the drive mount. It is soft in an area about 6” in diameter. Now for my hair-brained idea….I was thinking of drilling the thru bolt down the center and cap it off with a zerk fitting and then cross-drilling perpendicular holes on the sides of the bolt. I would then assemble the bolt back onto the boat, fill a grease gun with epoxy and with up to 1000 PSI inject the epoxy into the rotted area.<br />My question, would this work? This is an old boat that I don’t want to put a lot of $$$$ or time. The grease gun will be a cheap hand operated type so I can control the pressure and rate……My concern is, will I force epoxy where I don’t want it to go? I don’t care about what leaks to the outside but I don’t want to fill the gimble area.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

So you want someone here on the forum to say, "Sure, go ahead, its gonna work like you cant imagine and its the fix of choice"?? Its not going to happen! One thing though, Its better than rotten wood! But not much, and you might stop it from getting worse!<br /><br />If thats what you want to do, it "Might" work for a time and maybe for years, but knowone is going to stick there neck out, Not even me, and Ive done that a lot in my lifetime!

 

[kenjudy1]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

Go to the WEbsite Rot doctor they are out of Seattle they have a page on restoring rotted transoms fairly reasonable I tried it and seems to have worked. Ken

 

[kenjudy1]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

I looked it up just copy and paste http://www.rotdoctor.com/

 

[Bondo]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

Hair Brain Idea !!!

I can Agree with This part of it...!!!

 

[dhammann]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

Lube dude, I was not asking anyone to stick their necks out, I was simply asking for opinions. Yes, I agree with you that this is not the best fix but I don’t want the best fix….I am looking for a patch and seeking help.. Bondo, as a good ‘ol red neck boy in the South we sometimes favor functional over fancy, if was in my interest to do it right I would cut out the skin on the inside and replace the wood. All I want to know is if the pressurized resin will escape into the gimble area instead of the transom cavity. I have rebuilt transoms before on outboards ( both patch and professional ) but have no experience on I/Os. Thanks Kenjudy for your help, I appreciate it.

 

[dhammann]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

Well it has been 5 months now and this patch job worked, has not leaked a drop even after pulling skiers. Although I don't recommend this fix it did get me through the summer and that was the goal. I have another boat now but will still use this one as a "knock-around" boat

 

[BillP]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

Big Dee,<br />The biggest part of the saturation technique is actually getting the resin deep into the rot. It sure seems 1000 psi should have taken care of that issue. <br /><br />I like the idea and may want to try it...Can you detail how you did the zerks? Did you drill deep holes in the wood and screw zerks in? How many and how far apart? What size grease gun and did you just pour resin into the cartridge? Was leaking a problem with the gun.<br /><br />Bill

 

[thejeepster02]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

as long as the wood was dry....I think it was a pretty good idea.......

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

do a search for " seacast"

 

[dhammann]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

I used ½-13 threaded rod cut to 4” long. Drilled 3” into rod tapped the end 1/8NPT to accept the zerk fitting. I then cross drilled the rod at middle of its length. Drilled ½” hole in transom and assembled with nuts and large washers. You have to work fast or the resin will set-up in the gun because of the high pressure and heat, I destroyed two guns during the process. I also removed the thru bolts that hold the outdrive and inserted the threaded rod widgets. Be sure to remove the rods from the outdrive before they setup and then replace with the original bolts. I left the bolts in on the transom and ground the ends flush and glassed over

 

[rebars1]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

When repairing split wood beams in buildings that is essentially what is done. Both sides of the split are epoxy-puttied closed with small (about 1/8"dia) tubes sticking in every 6" or so on one side. Then expoxy is injected progressively until it comes out the next tube. In your situation, the epoxy should be thinned so it can penetrate/flow into all the nooks and crannies (whatever those are)

 

[steve n carol]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

Big Dee, Keep up the ideas. It's people like you that made the first rifle cartridge, cotton gin, steam engine, internel combustion engine, telephone, atomic bomb, airplane, put us on the moon, space shuttle! keep sticking your neck out there, go beyond the envelope....you never know until you try! I believe in these princaples, just can't spell, I am with you on the west coast! don't ever stop or give up! you must have been a transplanted Cajun, (like me)! the north my have won the fight, but they never killed our spirit!...sl

 

[dhammann]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

steve n carol,<br />Thanks for the “head swelling words” but it’s just from being raised up with very little you learn to make the most with the resources you have. The kids that have been brought up with a silver spoon in their hands think that every problem is exponentially solved with $$$$. No I am not Cajun but I love the food, which by the way is another example of making the best of what you have!

 

[steve n carol]

Re: Hair brain idea to save transom

Big Dee...we're on the same page!!!