Newbie needs help!

[Skip584]

I just bought my first boat a 1988 bayliner capri w/125 force outboard. The floor on it had a place where someone had did a quick fix repair. The rest of the floor appears solid and not springy or spoungie. I noticed something tonight that kind of worries me though. I did not notice this when I looked at the boat before. The is a crack that runs the entire length on the left side of the transom and also there is one starting on the right side. I came inside logged on a searched for transom info. When my wife got home, I had her go outside with me and I stood on the end of the outboard and she looked for transom flex as I hopped on it a little. I weight 200lbs and she didn't see any flex. I had her get on it and do the same, while I put my hand on the transom and I couldn't feel any flex or see any flex either. She weighs in around 140 although she would tell you less. I read a little about stress cracks in gelcoat and I am hoping that this is what this is, but I want to make sure. Can the transom still be bad, but not have any flex? I am concerened about the back end of this boat breaking off or taking on water while I have my family onboard. How do I know, or check this thing out and what is the repair for this. I am mechanically inclinded as I am an automotive machinist but have never worked with fiberglass at all, and know very little about it. This is my first boat, I thought I had checked the transom over pretty good when I went to look before buying but I never seen these cracks. I am confident with some reading and instruction I call do all necessary repairs. I don't have a problem putting a little bit of money and time into boat, I just want to know what to do and I want to do it correctly. Thanks for any and all replys and answers.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Newbie needs help!

Welcome Aboard to the forums here at iboats,........

I haven't Tried it Yet,......
But I hear the Search Function Actually Works now with the New forum software,......

I know if you seach for Bayliner,... Capri,.... Rotten Wood,...... Transom,..... Floor Repairs,+ Anything else you can think of,......
You'll only be a few Weeks learning the Answers to All those Questions.....

You're seeing a Pretty Common Problem,....... Especially Those Boats, in That Vintage.......
You're Not Alone......

The Quick Repair tells Me,....... You Might have some Problems,........

Good Luck.......

 

[180shabah]

Re: Newbie needs help!

The quick repair to the floor, was probably done to get it ready to sell. If the floor was rotten then there is a good chance that there is also stringer as well as transom damage. You need to get serious with a flash light and an ice pick, and find and repair any wood rot.
Like you said above, you do not want this thing coming apart while you are out with the family.

 

[Robj]

Re: Newbie needs help!

Unfortunately I agree with 180shabah. I think that you need to seriously check for rot, on the transom and stringers. I am unsure that your jump test put the same type of stresses on the transom that the motor does when the boat is underway. It is difficult to determine your problem without seeing pictures, however if your transom is solid, not rotten (I am not sure that will be the case) you may need to do some reinforcing. Personally, I think you may be faced with replacing a transom.

Good luck and welcome to the world of used boats!!

Rob.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Newbie needs help!

Take a breath a second.
Make sure you distinguish between a crack in the fiberglass due to stress and crazing. Crazing is cracking in the surface of gelcoated fiberglass. It is mainly cosmetic and is not necessarily structural.
My runabout had crazing in both top corners of the transom as well as many other 'stressed' areas of the boat. However thorough inspection showed no transom rot or soaked stringers.
I am not saying your boat is sound. You will have to determine that. But just because the boat is older does not necessarily mean it is rotten. Mine is a 1977!

 

[sdunt]

Re: Newbie needs help!

If you want to test and verify your floor and transom for rot, get some marine tex epoxy putty, your cordless drill and about a 1/4 inch drill bit. Where you can best hide it, drill into the floor or transom, make sure you don't go through the other side. Drilling in about 1/2 inch deep should be OK, If the wood shavings that come out are NOT black and wet, they are normal wood colored, then there is no rot there. Fill the hole with Marine Tex to seal it and test elsewhere.

There is no need to turn the boat into swiss cheese, check 1 area near the drain plug in the transom (the lowest point in the transom you can access).
Check the area right under the transom cap in the splash well, if you have a metal cap, consider taking it off for a better look.

Check the floor around seat bases or other things that have been screwed into the floor.

If you want to "look" at areas you can not get your head into, but you can get your hand and digital camera in, then just take snap shots of the bilge, lockers, etc and see what you can see. Especially since a 4 or 5 mega-pixel camera will allow you to enlarge the photo a lot on your PC.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Newbie needs help!

Before you start drilling holes take a hammer and tap anywhere you can get to on the inside of the transom. If you get a solid thunk then you can pretty well assume that that area is solid. If you get a soft thud - - well then get out the drill. If you use this method and do have rot you can almost outline the area with chalk.

 

[Skip584]

Re: Newbie needs help!

I have been hearing a lot of negative comments directed towards bayliners. Are they really that bad of a boat. I knew that they were entry level boats and I figured that the outboard motor made them less expensive than an I/O. I really like the looks of the bayliners myself, but then again, I know very little about boats all together. What is a good brand of boat and what makes bayliner such a bad one. I intended to get an inexpensive boat (bayliner) to try out boating and see if I liked it, if I do I will probably upgrade to a newer boat. But back to the original question. THE TRANSOM.. I was under the impression that a transome was fiberglassed in and that it would be something I would have to cut out with a sawzall or something. I have been reading a few more posts and now I am not sure I understand exactly how a transom mounts or even what it is? I thought that it was the back part of the boat that attached to stringers which act as stiffners. I have been reading about 2foot by 2foot transoms is this correct Is a transome simply a 1.5inch plate behind the fiberglass hull with nothing attaching it to the hull??? My boat is a 1988 Bayliner Capri 19foot with a 125force outboard. I pulled up my rear seats and didn't see anything. will a proper inspection require me to ripe up the floor to access the transom? There is a kind of splash well and it looks to be completly sound with no cracks or crazing of anykind. I will try to get some pictures posted of the "cracks along the transom area as soom as I can figure out how to.

 

[Robj]

Re: Newbie needs help!

My transom is a 2 x 2 in size with two pieces of 3/4 inch ply laminated together. My boat has an inboard / outboard, so the forces acting on the transom are much different than with an outboard. On your boat the transom or the rear of the boat supports not only the outboard, but the forces required to drive the boat. I think once you get some pictures posted, some of the experts who visit this site can give you better advice. I unfortunately am not one of those experts.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Newbie needs help!

Pictures would certainly help. The condition of your boat will be very dependent upon the care it was given by previous owners. Those year-model bayliners had some areas that were notorious for the under-floor rot; follow the advice above and check with a drill or pick for rotten wood. You can also look up the specs for the boat and find out how much it should weigh; then go to a scale and weigh your rig, then weigh your tow vehicle without the boat; if there is a big weight difference then chances are, you have lots of waterlogged foam, and possibly some rot.
The 125 Force outboards had some issues, but if it's running well, then run it into the ground. The Capri's of that vintage had some nice-looking lines, if you find you have some below-deck rot you'll have to make a decision to tear-out and rebuild, or to sell it to someone who wants to take on the task. If you decide to do it yourself, there is lots of great advice here. Good Luck!​

 

[Skip584]

Re: Newbie needs help!

These are what the cracks I found look like. I don't know if they are just crazing of the gelcoat or if they are indicators of something worse. I have been working 6 days a week and the weather has been nasty so I haven't had a chance to further investigate it yet. From the outside the transom has a solid sound when I knock on it. If I stand on the cavition plate the transom does not flex any (200lbs). If anyone has any ideas let me know. I plan to repair it either way, even if it is only a bayliner I like it's lines.
WELL CRAP! MY FILE SIZE IS TOO LARGE TO UPLOAD!! WHAT ELSE IS NEW, its dark outside so I will have to try to get a picture tomorrow evening after work, if I get home before dark.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newbie needs help!

You can resize your original picture.

Regarding Bayliners, I had a 1987 Bayliner Capri. It served my original purpose well and at a good cost. I probably wouldn't buy another one though.

 

[studlymandingo]

Re: Newbie needs help!

Skip, the best way to post photos here is to upload them to a hosting site like http://www.photobucket.com then use the html code to paste the photo into your post. You can then use high-quality images to illustrate your point.​

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Newbie needs help!

Here's a pic of a 1987 BL Capri stern. Similar? The transom would be the flat where your OB mounts. are your cracks in the back of the well towards the engine?
Perhaps you can remove your plug sleeve and check for rot there. Then if OK re-install it with some 5200. Remove any low screws(i.e. swimstep bracket, speedo, etc.) and check for dampness inside the wood transom where those screws were. Again, re-install them with 5200. A partial floor repair sounds iffie!
Open up you ski locker and check around there.

You can also weigh the boat and see if you are retaining water. NADA has your boat at 2150lb. if a bowrider.
Good Luck.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Newbie needs help!

I have been hearing a lot of negative comments directed towards bayliners. Are they really that bad of a boat..

I'm sick of hearing this..have a 25 footer that 30 years old and solid, and a 20' 88 thats solid. Aint the boat so much as the jerk that owned it and never took care of it, like anything else in life..​

 

[Bondo]

Re: Newbie needs help!

I have been hearing a lot of negative comments directed towards bayliners. Are they really that bad of a boat. I knew that they were entry level boats

I'm sick of hearing this..have a 25 footer that 30 years old and solid, and a 20' 88 thats solid. Aint the boat so much as the jerk that owned it and never took care of it,

Well,....... The Fact Is,......

Bayliners ARE Entry level boats,...... Usually bought by Entry level Boaters.....
And,.......
Whether it's Owner Neglect, or Not..........

Most Bilgeliners, Especially the Capris of that Vintage Are Rotten Hulks.......

 

[Skip584]

Re: Newbie needs help!

We'll try this again. Here are the photobucket photos of the cracks I found on the outside of my transom. My boat is an outboard and has a splashwell. I removed both rear seat cushions and stuck my digital camara behind the splash well and took several pictures. I can't find anything that looks rotton or cracked and am not real sure how I would even access this area to drill and test transom. Everything was covered with longstrands of white fiberglass.

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w270/jacknut584/transomcrack3.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w270/jacknut584/transomcrack.jpg

These are pictures of the crack or crazing that was on the outside of my transom. Is this indicative of a rotten transom or is this just some kind of stress crazing of the gelcoat? The longer crack is to the port side. There is zero flex in transom and appears soild? Any suggestions either way and how would I repair this if it is only gelcoat issue.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Newbie needs help!

I am NO expert but to me it just looks like crazing.

 

[drewpster]

Re: Newbie needs help!

I agree with ezmobee, looks like crazing to me as well. I would also add that you wrote "stress crazing" in another post. Maybe it will make you feel a little better to know crazing is not generally caused by stress. The surface or structure does not have to move at all for crazing to occur. Crazing can be caused by flexing, but most often it is due to changes within the fiberglass resin that happen over time in areas where the gelcoat is too thick.

If you are concerned that the transom may have problems you can follow the advise on techniques to check for rot suggested here or you can have a marine surveyor check it for you. A fiberglass shop in your town can check it out for you as well.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Newbie needs help!

Those can happen without a bad transom.