Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

[oregonboatnewb]

So i was out on the upper willamette river yesterday, with a couple friends, doing some swiming and tubing... on out way back, i was navigating in a buoy section of "clear river area" when boom, loud thump that jolted the boat, and was felt strong from the rear... I stopped, put motor up, instantly noticed i had hit a rock, but everything functioned, so i took it back to ramp...

Pulled the boat out, and this is what i discovered... I had hit a rock, on the bottom of the skeg, and it bent metal alittle, and put a hairline crack in the transom where the left side of the motor bolts on.

Should this be something to worry about structurally ?

Besides having someone rebuild transom, is there anything simple i can do to prevent the hairline crack from spreading... i notice these factory washings on either side of the transom are not that large, maybe get larger ones to spread out weight ?

Boat is a 1989 Seaswirl 17ft tempo with 120 evinrude.

 

[oregonboatnewb]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

I feel ya!! It could have been alot worse, Glad to hear it wasn't!!

 

[airdvr1227]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

I thought OB's were supposed to break free and rotate upwards before damage like that happened.

 

[This_lil_fishy]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

They will unless under power. It's pushing forward with a lot of force at that point and won't just flip up for any ol' obstruction. Damage usually results, unless you see the obstruction and can cut the throttle first.

Ian

 

[Bob's Garage]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

My engines kicked up when we hit bottom Saturday, without damage to the boat.

I think that the transom may be weakened due to being wet/rotted. One way to find out would be to remove the bolt from the damaged area. Probe the hole with a sharp pick, if it's wet/rotted you'll be able to tell.

If it's ok then seal the crack to protect the integrity of the transom.

 

[jt57]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

I feel ya!! It could have been alot worse, Glad to hear it wasn't!!

Wow!!!!!! you must of slammed into something pretty hard to do all that damage. I always thought that on a O/B it would kick up when it's in gear if it hit something. That pulling it back to neutral would lock down the motor???

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

Yep was in sight of the dock after great day at the lake, rocks are about 35' away from the bank and was under high water and heavy winds with alot of chop, I can see them now with water being low again, next time I go back to lake I am going to take pics to show every one what I hit. These are the pics of the new/used lower $560 and used prop $95. Like I said to Oregonboatnewby I hate to hear any damage that someone did to their boat nomatter how minor or major, Ya I feel the pain.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

don't worry about the skeg; maybe file down the edges a little.
Looks like possible chip in prop; that should be attended to but it's not crucial if you want to get in a few more trips and do it in the fall. It's like having your wheels alligned on your car to stop vibrations from damaging your parts over time.
transom is probably OK but worth checking out; the way the screw popped up says something flexed and could be soft. If anything, I bet you find pre-existing damage rather than damage from the bump.
When you hit a sandbar your engine will pop up, even on a plane. I know this all too well. you must have bounced over the rock and that's why it didn't raise it.
Saturday I cut a submerged 8' 2x6 in half with a 150 while pulling a tube. Scary. No harm done luckily. But it was so waterlogged we had to search hard to find the pieces and retrieve them; they were barely floating. But if I hadn't had my hand on the throttle to kill speed I could have pulled the tuber through the planks, too. I heard the clunk and looked back to see each half popping up in the air on either side of the motor. Smart-alec passenger suggested using a skil saw next time I wanted to cut planks.

 

[Iandayen]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

Smart-alec passenger suggested using a skil saw next time I wanted to cut planks.

Sounds like something I would say if it wasn't my boat haha.

 

[LIQUID PROZAC]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

sorry to hear about the damage-hopefully you don't have a rotted transom--would definitely check though good luck with the repairs

 

[oregonboatnewb]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

Do i have to somehow hold the motor up, if i take the damaged area bolt out ? I know these motors weight a ton, and don't want to take the bolt off, to find the motor likes the ground, better then on the boat.

And propeller is just fine, its got just a few areas missing paint.

 

[CaptainYARRR]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

A rope and some rafters could take care of that for you

 

[oregonboatnewb]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

A rope and some rafters could take care of that for you

This will be harder then it sounds, as the boat isn't in a garage... hmm, how else can i hold the motor up so the bolt will come out easy, and also so its not impossible to put it back in.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

That OB weighs about 310-325 and actually not that hard to handle. I see corrosion around the damaged transom. I would be concerned about the transom. The skeg did it's job it does not appear as if there are any aluminum cracks in the gearcase.

Does the transom flex when you push down on the OB when it is tilted up? That will be a big indicator.

 

[FSTHUH]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

sorry to hear about the damages to your boat... i totally feel you man..my boat is sitting at the dealer as we speak for the damages that happened this past weekend.

It looks like there are more and more of these stories as the water is getting shallower...

BE CAREFUL OUT THERE....

 

[oregonboatnewb]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

When i push down on the OB, the transom flex's... but only really around the area where the crack is... the lower bolts dont flex much, almost all the "flexing" comes from teh top area of the transom... I've seen a "bad" transom, and i would say the flex isn't "that bad" but truly i guess i'll have to take that bolt off, the other 3 should hold the motor up no ? Would it do any good to put larger washers on the inside, help spread out the weight perhaps ?

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

There is no substitute for doing the repair properly (new transom) BUT, I have made do in the past by doing the following with really good results.

What you need to do is reinforce the existing weak structure from flexing in and out. Due to the limited bolt length you have I would use a heavy piece (or two) of aluminum angle that spans the mounting bolts. Would not use anything less than 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1/4". Heavier is better.

Cut the aluminum angle about 6" longer than the bolt centers. Drill two holes (centered) to match the bolt centers and slide the angle over the bolts then bolt it to the inside of the transom with large flat washers on top of the aluminum. Do the same with the lower mounting bolts as well if they are accessible.

The angle(s) will add alot of rigidity but is not a permanent fix. It will get you through the rest of the season. Don't be pulling any waterskiers with that transom

 

[oregonboatnewb]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

Do you have any photos of a finished product of what your recommending i do to the transom... And the tubes pull from a pole that's located infront of the transom, so i hope it isn't allowing to much flex, as i use the boat almost only for tubing =)

 

[zach103]

Re: Hit a Rock, Transom cracked... oops !

shouldn't the skeg break before any damage happens to the casing or shafts?