Thoughts on transom damage...

[AltheaToldMe]

I just noticed this damage when out on the water this past Sunday. I am fairly certain that it happened when I hit a rock a couple of weeks ago. The boat nearly stopped, but the engine kept screaming. I was doing about 34mph at the time.

If I can poke a screwdriver in the crack and find good wood, what are your thoughts on patching cracks (marine-tex or glass/resin) and using larger washers or a stainless steel or aluminum plate to span the two bolts

Any thoughts are welcome. And thanks!

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Thoughts on transom damage...

Does not look good...................I'd do a little digging before I bandaided the problem.

 

[Firestar]

Re: Thoughts on transom damage...

As long as the integrity of the transom was not compromised, I would seal the cracks and use a plate to span the bolt holes to reinforce the mounting surface.

 

[The-Machinist]

Re: Thoughts on transom damage...

No matter how you slice it the integrity of the transom has been compromised, the only question is how bad. If you dont find any rot you could very well get away with a nice size piece of aluminum plate, but it still looks risky to me.
How many HP are you hangin' on that?

 

[abj87]

Re: Thoughts on transom damage...

Id grind it down to remove all lose fiberglass and lay in some new cloth over the area. A reinforcment of 3/8 plywood would not be a bad idea either.

 

[AltheaToldMe]

Re: Thoughts on transom damage...

No matter how you slice it the integrity of the transom has been compromised, the only question is how bad. If you dont find any rot you could very well get away with a nice size piece of aluminum plate, but it still looks risky to me.
How many HP are you hangin' on that?

Well, I probed at it tonight and cannot get a screwdriver in the cracks. I tapped the entire transom out and it's solid as I would expect it to be. I seriously think this happened when I hit that rock. I was planing and doing about 34mph when I hit. The motor did not strike the same object so it wanted to go forward. This is a 1981 Tower Of Power 115 so there were a couple of horsies looking to go where the boat wasn't. I plan of using a plate of stainless (if I can find it) or aluminum if I can't. I have the practice at glassing now, so grinding the area out and refilling should be no problem. The hardest part (if I have to) will be removing that 6 cyl beast from the tail end of her.

 

[AltheaToldMe]

Re: Thoughts on transom damage...

Something to add to this thread...I learned something new. As I was re-mounting my power trim motor after a tune up, I noticed what appeared to be Seacast way up under the bilge coming from the transom. It seems that someone may have rebulit my transom using Seacast. If that's the case, I am super happy. I knew it was solid, but wow. It's like a rock. Seems I know why.

 

[AltheaToldMe]

Re: Thoughts on transom damage...

Well, I have made progress on the repairs here, but I have outlined most of the progress in an other thread. I hate to double post, so here is the link to what I have done so far.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?p=1804422#post1804422

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Thoughts on transom damage...

I plan of using a plate of stainless (if I can find it) or aluminum if I can't.

We have used diamond plate with good results.