How do I check my transom?

[airmail]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 1971 Glastron 164 with a Volvo Penta 270 outdrive and a 4 cyl. motor. The deck rotted where the engine cover mounts to it. The stringers also rotted on the top. The bottom of the stringers is fine. The deck is only rotted about a foot out from the engine cover and on both sides back to the transom. I pulled the rotted section of the starboard stringer and noticed on the transom there is a spot about the size of a silver dollar that didn't have any fiberglass on it and the wood is soft. How do I check the rest of the transom. I don't want to replace the whole floor just the bad section same with the stringers. If there is a way to do this please advise. I know the best way is to replace the whole floor. The only problem I have with this is the rest is not bad, same with the stringers. I just want to make the boat safe.

Thanks in advance
Terry

 

[airmail]

Re: How do I check my transom?

Pictures of stringers and transom. Hmmm I can't seem to make the pictures small enough to upload. How is everyone else doing it?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: How do I check my transom?

I am going to move this to restoration.....

Do a seach for test holes or test boring.

 

[Lightnig]

Re: How do I check my transom?

Pictures of stringers and transom. Hmmm I can't seem to make the pictures small enough to upload. How is everyone else doing it?

I use irfanview to resize the pictures to either 800x600 or 640x480, depending on how much detail I want to show. It's a free program to download and install and it is quite easy to use. It can be had at http://www.irfanview.com.

For posting the pictures I host them on photobucket, then I can organize them by topic in different folders and share them either through email links or post them on the various boards I frequent. they are at http://www.photobucket.com, and they are also a free service.

 

[Nandy]

Re: How do I check my transom?

Do a seach for test holes or test boring.

That is the way to go. Honestly, if you have been using this boat long enough to be familiar with it and you believe you will keep it for several more years do yourself a favor and do the entire deck (no floor in boats) stringers and transom. If you dont plan to keep it for long then maybe you can get away fixing the real bad parts but it will be a half way job. You cant fix just half the deck or half a stringer/transom. You have to replace the entire unit for it to be strong.
Good luck...

 

[jonesg]

Re: How do I check my transom?

1971... unless its been in a warehouse for the past 20-30 yrs..
its probably due. I'm surprised its as good as it is.

I drilled a hole near the bottom of my transom to mount something and water poured out. wood chips were black pulp.
I guess thats one way to find out.

 

[airmail]

Re: How do I check my transom?

Thanks for the replies. I don't want to restore this boat but I do want to get a few more years out of it. I might start looking for a better boat that needs a motor or outdrive.

Did I say floor.............I meant DECK!!!!!!! I hate when that happens

I too was surprised it's in as good a shape as it is. For the most part it has been covered. I bought it about 7 years ago and put a brand new heavy duty cover on it. If I would have known what the poor fitting engine cover mounting bolts were doing to the DECK and stringers I would have fixed that right away. I'm learning a lot from all the good people on this forum.

 

[jonesg]

Re: How do I check my transom?

jee, all I see on craigslist is great looking boats with no power for next to free, you could clean up doing a power swap.

Chainsaw the old one.