Transom leaking

[Fubijad]

I have a 1997 Sunbird Spirit 170 with a V/P 4.3GL w/ SX outdrive. On my first outing after launching (Approx 5-10 min.) I could hear water running into the engine bay. I then noticed that the bilge area was almost full of water. After putting it back on the trailer with the plug still in i observed water leaking out of the rear of the boat between the transom plate and the transom approx. 6-8 inches up from the bottom of the plate all the way to the bottom. Took the boat home and lifted the front, plug in, and filled the bilge area (engine bay) with a garden hose with the same effect. Followed Don S advise on other threads and took small hammer and tapped from outside and was able to hear sound change the closer I got to the outdrive. Also took small drill and drilled from inside transom approx. 1/8 in. hole 1/2 inch deep and found brown wood shavings that would seep water when compressed, but no black or rotten wood. My question is if transom is bad how hard if poss. is this to fix? I did observe that previous owner had hit several thing with the outdrive. Several chips are missing from the tip of the propeller blades and there is evidence on the lower gear case that rocks and oyster beds have made contact. Thanks in advance

 

[erikgreen]

Re: Transom leaking

If it's not bad now, it's going to be soon.

Odds are pretty good that parts of it are rotten and that most of it is wet. It might be ok for the rest of the season, or it might not, depending. It's a gamble. If it's leaking that much near the transom plate, it's probably unsafe at this point.

To fix it right, you can either pull out the engine, hardware, and fiberglass from the inside and re-laminate plywood into the transom for a core, or else remove the core of the transom from the top edge, leaving the inner skin intact but getting all the wood out, and then pour a material called seacast inside to form a new transom.

The seacast is more expensive, but the plywood recore will probably take longer. I pulled off a transom recore with plywood in about a month and a half of work 5 nights a week for 2 hours a night (so about 60 hours) but yours may take longer or shorter. It's not difficult work, it's just time consuming, and you have to be able to pull out your engine.

There are plenty of transom replacement threads here, have a look.

Erik

 

[AnonymousBoater]

Re: Transom leaking

My 17ft boat cost me about $800 for the dealer to rebuild it for me. I'm not 100% sure where the $2000+ numbers come from. Maybe 21ft+ boats..

 

[sea wolf]

Re: Transom leaking

If it's leaking that bad, I wouldn't even think about taking it out again.

 

[mtnrat]

Re: Transom leaking

Yep, need to replace the transom. Look in the restoration section for lots of info. Very messy and time consuming, but not hard if you have any mechanical/carpentry skills at all.

 

[Fubijad]

Re: Transom leaking

I thought it would need to be replaced.. Any idea why it's leaking?

 

[danond]

Re: Transom leaking

The transom loses it's ability to hold shape and allows the drive to compress and stretch it, which in turn pulls and pushes the gimbal housing away and into the transom, making the seal ineffective since it's mobile. The seal only works against a solid surface.

 

[Fubijad]

Re: Transom leaking

That makes sense I did notice a slight bow in the transom inwards at the middle of the transom shield, but I was hoping that that was how it was made. Thanks to all for the help...