"It Happened!" Transom has to be replaced! (NOW W/PICS)

[LX Kid]

Hard to believe, LoL, a 1982, 24 ft, Grady White, stern drive transom has finally seen it's last trip to the fish honey hole. Got two estimates and they were both $3500 or more. "Can't afford that!" I ran an ad in Craigslist for help and an Australian mate called me and gave me some advice on how to do it. I always thought my inboard engine has to come out to do the work. He indicated that's "old school" and all the work is done from the outside. He offered to walk me thru it as I proceed. Did I mention I sold three shares in the boat, about three months ago, and now have extra funds and labor to get-r-done! Removing outdrive, gimbal and anything else on the transoms outside. Going to cut the "outer" hull 2 inches, from the outer edge, all the way around and re-use the outer hull skin as a template for the new marine plywood. With some luck $600 - $700 for materials I'll have a good transom once again.

 

[GA_Boater]

It's gonna be interesting to see how this can be done without yanking the motor. I hope you don't believe everything read on the old InterWeb. Did he share any pics of his how-to?

 

[LX Kid]

It's gonna be interesting to see how this can be done without yanking the motor. I hope you don't believe everything read on the old InterWeb. Did he share any pics of his how-to?

After discussing, at length, this is a very doable way to to repair the transom. To explain, here in detail, would be a little hard to articulate the whole process. Photobucket stole all my pictures and my picture posting ability at the moment. I gotta find another photo sharing application so I can post lots of pics on my progress. I just don't want to pay the outrageous charges that Photobucket wants to charge. All my pics, here on the forum, are no longer accessible on my many postings.

 

[GA_Boater]

We'll see. Hard to believe the motor can stay in place. It needs to be supported and what about the inner transom plate?

I hope he shared some pics with you.

 

[jbcurt00]

Repair from the outside is tougher to 'get right', from the inside the engine does have to come out.....

Thousands and thousands of I/O transom jobs posted here, a small fraction done from the outside, probably fewer then 1%........

But listen to a random guy you found thru Craigs......

And you could probably do the repair from the inside, do a better job AND not have to do all the cosmetic work like from the outside requires, all for about the same $ as your $700 estimate..

 

[LX Kid]

We'll see. Hard to believe the motor can stay in place. It needs to be supported and what about the inner transom plate?

I hope he shared some pics with you.

The inner transom plate will stay where it is cause it's on the inboard side of the "inner" transom fiberglass. Please be positive until and if a time comes then you can say "I told you so!" If everything goes South then I can part the boat out and say "oh well!"

Update 19 Sep 2017
Now you can say "I TOLD YOU SO!" LoL The engine and the gimbal plate did have to come out.

 

[LX Kid]

[No message]

 

[ondarvr]

There's nothing wrong with doing it from outside, but......

​The issue isn't is it possible, yes it is, and it's not hard and will hold up fine. The real issue is that by the time the transom is bad so are the stringers and floor, so they all need to be replaced, which means the motor needs to come out anyhow. If you know for sure that the stringers and floor are still in good shape, and will be far into the future, then doing it from outside is easier, it's just the cosmetics on the outside that can make it a little more of a hassle.

​You need to leave more than 2" inches around the cutout, more like a 4" minimum so there's enough surface for a good bond.

 

[LX Kid]

​You need to leave more than 2" inches around the cutout, more like a 4" minimum so there's enough surface for a good bond.

Tomorrow is the start time to work on it. "One step at a time." You may be right about four inches. I'll start with 4" and see how things look cause I can always take out more. Once I get the old wood out I'll sample the stringer by drilling horizontally into the end. I'm hoping the stringer was glassed on the ends before it was glassed to the transom. I'll take a small ball peen hammer and tap on the stringers, under the motor, and see if I get that dull "thud" sound. Time will tell.

 

[Scott Danforth]

If your boat only has a rotten transom and not rotten stringers, bulkheads and floor. Then yours is the only one ever. Your going to be pulling the motor anyway

 

[LX Kid]

If that's the case then I'd pull the motor and sell it. Strip the boat for everything that's sellable and cut the boat up and take it to the landfill! Probably get about $2500 for everything to include the trailer. Wouldn't shed a tear!

 

[ondarvr]

Check the stringers and floor before doing anything, get a drill and do some core sampling, you'll know in a few minutes which direction things will go. Pull out an engine mount bolt and see what it tells you.

​Don't cut the transom out until you have a complete plan of action. If you find extensive rot it'll be much easier to sell it intact, far less work too.

​If you do cut the transom out, don't make multiple cuts, cut it at least at 4" and save the transom as an entire piece, you can use this piece and glass it back in, this will save a great deal of time and money.

​What you are doing is not a new or strange thing, it's fairly common for a repair shop to do it this way because the owner only want's X amount of work done, the shop says, "fine here's the price" they do their part and get paid, if more work needs to be soon after, they may get that job next, but more than likely the owner gives up and scraps the boat, not wanting to invest more money into an old boat.

​I don't blame you for not wanting to take on the project, I did this for a living for decades, and now teach people how to do it, but wouldn't want to take on the project myself just because it's a time consuming hassle that I don't want to deal with at this stage of life.

 

[savetexomabeaches]

I do them all from the inside.. I personally like keeping the outer layers of glass in tact and not have the hassle of matching gel coat.

 

[tpenfield]

I would not cut the outer hull in this case. As mentioned, chances are the transom is not the only issue. You do see a fair number of outboard engine transoms repaired from the outside. This is done because access to the inside is usually less than with an i/o (sterndrive) setup.

I would re-consider your approach, as the ability of the inner skin of the transom to hold up the rear portion of the engine while you repair the core and outer skin is unknown and suspect.

 

[LX Kid]

Can the gimbal housing be removed without removing the engine?

 

[ondarvr]

I'd use the engine removal for some needed maintenance or upgrades, it's pretty easy to do when the motor is on a stand in the garage.

 

[Scott Danforth]

not sure why your reluctant to pull the motor. its an hour process at best. pull drive, disconnect battery, fuel, throttle cable, harness, 4 engine mounts and lift.

 

[LX Kid]

not sure why your reluctant to pull the motor. its an hour process at best. pull drive, disconnect battery, fuel, throttle cable, harness, 4 engine mounts and lift.

After 2 hours we have the motor ready to pull out tomorrow. Found a nice tree limb and bought an engine stand off Craigslist for $25.

When we pulled the outdrive off the large roller bearing came out of the upper still attached to the drive shaft. Lot's of gear lube in the bellows which is probably a bad seal. Fortunately I have one of the special wrenches to remove the big nut to replace the seal.

 

[savetexomabeaches]

Gimble bearing came out with the shaft?

 

[LX Kid]

Gimble bearing came out with the shaft?

Yup! It not supposed to do that! Gonna have to do some checking on that little problem. Last time I changed it I had to use a gear puller.