Transom quick fix

[etripp111]

Hello

I have a 17 foot Sylvan deck boat. I inspected the transom and found it to be compromised. It is not totally rotted, but has some water damage near the top.

Anyway, I talked to a few friends and was told that I could reinforce the spot where the motor mounts with either 1/4 plate steel or 3/4" plywood, sandwiched inside and outside the boat.

Any thoughts on this quick fix repair? Will it work and last a couple of years?

I looked into repairing the transom with seacast and similar products, but the boat isn't really worth that much.

Thanks

Tripp

 

[PFalcon]

Re: Transom quick fix

Hello

I have a 17 foot Sylvan deck boat. I inspected the transom and found it to be compromised. It is not totally rotted, but has some water damage near the top.

Anyway, I talked to a few friends and was told that I could reinforce the spot where the motor mounts with either 1/4 plate steel or 3/4" plywood, sandwiched inside and outside the boat.

Any thoughts on this quick fix repair? Will it work and last a couple of years?

I looked into repairing the transom with seacast and similar products, but the boat isn't really worth that much.

Thanks

Tripp

The short answer is PROBABLY

IF there is rot up top, then there is undiscovered rot inside somewhere.
Since wood wicks/draws moisture through it and between the layers of fiberglass and the wood; you can almost guarantee that it has traveled perhaps as far as the botoom of the transom, and then gone to each end and worked its way into more places than you can imagine.

You CAN add strength by sandwiching inner and outer on the transom; however I don't recommend it.

You MUST consider that you are basically crushing the inner core of the transom by clamping the inner and outter pieces between what may be a soft and flexible substrate. This is more likely to speed up any rot, by cracking and spidering the existing protection of the transom core.

Think about using "C" clamps on a sandwich of balsa with two pieces of steel, you CAN make it stronger temporarily, but it crushes the core. Over time the outer pieces will no longer be secured to the transom they will actually be forcing the innner core of the transom to compact.
Once the core is crushed now the inner and outer pieces are strongger than the core so they will loose their inherent strength.
Is there a "work around" for that problem sure, you COULD use carriage bolts thru the new and old and repeatedly tighten them down; but understand all that will do is speed up the process.

On MOST transom repairs, they are done completely, not because anyone WANTS to do it; but because the transom is the second strongest part of your boat, the keel is the strongest.

The thrust of your engine is pushing thru the transom, to the stringers, keel, and hull to the bow.

SUGGESTION spend a couple of days reading about the transom repairs here, and get together the tools, friends, and materials; then take a weekend and get it done right once. What will it cost? Could be less than 100.00

IF you do it you know it is SAFE, half of boating anywhere is making it safe back to the dock after a fun day, with everyone happy and secure, leaving only memories.

YOU are responsible, for not only yourself, but your passengers, and other boaters on your body of water of choice. I hope you choose to do the complete repair.

The composite products, are basically spackle, or bandaids, the transom is no place for them IMO.

PF

 

[mantis270]

Re: Transom quick fix

I have to agree with PFalcon...the transom is not something you should even consider 'band-aiding' . Take the time and just replace it.

You'll spend a few bucks and end up spending a little more time but it will be worth it. Search the forum for some info on transom replacement and ask as many questions as you like. These guys are great for sharing info.

I'm re-doing a 14' aluminum boat right now and posted several pix of the transom teardown, rebuild and reinforcement...

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=299404

 

[oops!]

Re: Transom quick fix

i agree with the above. fix it right once.

however........depending on the amount of rot......search core sample.

a plate will possibly work for a few seasons....but then it will be totally shot. and worthless.....all your investment will be gone.....(you will (in all good consence) only be able to sell it as a project boat for pennies or parts).

as said.... a weekend and some wood will be better and it will be done for another 20-30 years!

if you only wanna go fishin with the boat for a year or two....then use the plate idea.....you will be ok...(depending on the rot)

 

[etripp111]

Re: Transom quick fix

OK. Thanks for the advice.

Here's my issue, though.........

I have done ALOT of research on this subject and it seems that most sites/people give advice on fixing transoms that look like this:

And they repair them like this:

My transom looks like this:

How in the world do you replace or repair a transom on a two piece boat like this? Wasn't this boat made in two pieces? A bottom and a top bolted together where the trim goes around the boat?

Wouldn't I have to separate the top and bottom to remove and replace the wood?

I've looked into seacast and been told if you don't get ALL the rot out your wasting your time and money.......

Any advice would be appreciated........

Thanks

Tripp

 

[PFalcon]

Re: Transom quick fix

How in the world do you replace or repair a transom on a two piece boat like this? Wasn't this boat made in two pieces? A bottom and a top bolted together where the trim goes around the boat?

Tripp

You are correct, you would have to remove the rubrail and more to remove the top cap.

If Ooops! or ondavar say it; it is gospel!

Can you get some shots from under the stern and show what damage is on the transom? Can you take a couple of cores samples?

That model is a PITA to seperate, depending on how bad the cap is attached you MAY be able to remove the rubrail and disassemble the cap past midline and get it up high enough to replace the transom.

There is no easy solution, but as said if you investigate, and know that the damage is minimal, you can get a couple of fishing seasons from the dual plate fix.

Where I am at people are still asking around 1500.00-2500.00 for those boats still in much worse cosmetic shape, so you may decide it is worth it to go thru the trouble to do it now; and get a better return when you move on to your next boat.

Hope it helps,

PF

 

[jonesg]

Re: Transom quick fix

If the outter edges of the transom are alright you can do just the center section and as much of the side sections you can dig out, I could get most of that out with the chainsaw.

I've talked to guys who did exactly that and they're still good 5 yrs later.
He's on the classic seacraft owners website.
Its not true that every scrap of wood must come out, wet wood and rotted wood yes. The chainsaw does a decent job of that.
I talked to the owner at seacast before I ordered it.

Consider this, with a 30 inch deep transom with a 2 inch gap, theres no way you can get every scrap out, theres no way you can get all the way in there and sand it, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.

You wouldn't go far wrong popping the cap off either if you have the facility (garden or garage). Not everyone can do that though due to space.

Some core samples out toward the hull sides in the lower transom will show the extent of the damage. You don't know until you drill, its all speculation til then.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Transom quick fix

$.02/nonsense? The shadow play in your 2nd pic looks ominous. Maybe the transom only goes to each side of the splash well (mine does). Makes it easier to replace the transom without removing the cap. Good luck!

 

[etripp111]

Re: Transom quick fix

Hello

What do you mean ominous? As in a very bad thing?

Here are some pictures of the transom. Looking from the inside it does appear that the wood of the transom is not made of one solid piece across the back of the boat.

Here is a view looking inside where the gas tan is mounted:

Here are a couple looking into where the battery would be mounted:

One from inside the transom where the motor mounts:

Any other thoughts???

Tripp

 

[jonesg]

Re: Transom quick fix

you might be right, but again, until you start drilling holes you don't know what you don't know.

 

[Robert D]

Re: Transom quick fix

I wouldn't mess with separating that cap. I'd cut the back couple inches of the cap off, just enough to get the plywood in. The splashwell also. Cut carefully, in places where it'll be easy to fiberglass back together and reinforce. Than stringer down the length of the keel...while you're there, improve it with a knee brace up the transom. Just make sure you leave a place for water to pass through. Just my 2 cents worth

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Transom quick fix

From your last pics, it looks like yuou can even see the plys of the transom delaminating, and the earlier one where someone noted "ominous shadow play", it looks like the transome is completely shot.

How tight is it to get into the inside? Could you cut the inner layer of fiberglass out? Then remove / replace the transom from the inside and then glass the inner layer back on? Another option if you can get the old out through the inside is to reove and clean everything out from the inside, then brace inside and outside with flat boards and use seacast to pour a new transom from the top.

I'm afraid that none of your options I see are trivial nor a weekend job.

In your last pic, is that a crack on the inside layer of glass???? and some kind of sealer on the bottom???

 

[etripp111]

Re: Transom quick fix

From your last pics, it looks like yuou can even see the plys of the transom delaminating, and the earlier one where someone noted "ominous shadow play", it looks like the transome is completely shot.

How tight is it to get into the inside? Could you cut the inner layer of fiberglass out? Then remove / replace the transom from the inside and then glass the inner layer back on? Another option if you can get the old out through the inside is to reove and clean everything out from the inside, then brace inside and outside with flat boards and use seacast to pour a new transom from the top.

I'm afraid that none of your options I see are trivial nor a weekend job.

In your last pic, is that a crack on the inside layer of glass???? and some kind of sealer on the bottom???

Hello

Thanks for the advice. I'm not sure which 'last pic' you are referring to. There are no cracks inside the boat. There is a little water on the bottom and some kind of plastic plug laying on the bottom......

Sounds like I should just scrap the boat?????

Tripp

 

[wca_tim]

Re: Transom quick fix

Sorry, no cracks on a bigger monitor...

If you like the boat I wouldn't scrap it! Just not a weekend job to fix it right...

 

[jonesg]

Re: Transom quick fix

Thats a real nice boat, don't scrap it.
Decide which your'e going to do it then just get doing it.

If it really requires pulling the cap you can pop it loose and slide it fwd, no need for overhead hoists and all that.

Personally I'd try cleaning the transom out from the top first with a chainsaw, it makes quick work of the job. Get as much as possible and pour the composite transom in, I didn't get all the wood out of mine out towards the hull sides. Watch the video.

http://www.transomrepair.com/zk/how-to-pour-seacast-video.shtml

 

[Mark42]

Re: Transom quick fix

The wood does not extend above the seam with the cap. I think that transom can be replaced from inside without removing the cap. Cut away the glass on the inside and see what you have, it can be installed in layers and pieces if you really want to. Use 3/8" or 1/2" ply and do 3 or 4 layers where the seams do not line up.

Another option is to remove the transom from the outside. There was a project done here back in 2004 or so where the member cut the skin off from the outside, removed and installed a new plywood transom, then reinstalled the original skin, and made the appropriate patch around the parimeter. If done well, it will be strong.

Just somethings to think about.

 

[1972seasprite]

Re: Transom quick fix

my brothers boat had a bad transom on a 16 foot astroglass he workes in an autobody shop not saying to do this but he an some friends at work cut the whole back outer part of the transom from the boat an removed all the wood then cut two pieces of 3/4 inch salt treated plywood the same shape as the old transom glued them together the screwed them to the back of the boat then put the transom back piece witch was the whole back of the boat back on used metel elbow brackets to hold the back piece on then refiberglassed the seem overlaping it 4 inches on both sides all the way around an sanded it smooth now it is super strong an dosent leak at all im going to get him to do mine my 1972 seasprite transom isint weak but isint as strong as it should be an the v4 is a heavy engine hope my sharing can help or give an idea they made a barbeque an party out of doing it an had fun happy boating an safe boating from a newbie here 1972seasprite

 

[Mark42]

Re: Transom quick fix

my brothers boat had a bad transom on a 16 foot astroglass he workes in an autobody shop not saying to do this but he an some friends at work cut the whole back outer part of the transom from the boat an removed all the wood then cut two pieces of 3/4 inch salt treated plywood the same shape as the old transom glued them together the screwed them to the back of the boat then put the transom back piece witch was the whole back of the boat back on used metel elbow brackets to hold the back piece on then refiberglassed the seem overlaping it 4 inches on both sides all the way around an sanded it smooth now it is super strong an dosent leak at all im going to get him to do mine my 1972 seasprite transom isint weak but isint as strong as it should be an the v4 is a heavy engine hope my sharing can help or give an idea they made a barbeque an party out of doing it an had fun happy boating an safe boating from a newbie here 1972seasprite

You forgot to put a period at the end of that sentence.

 

[Sparkler]

Re: Transom quick fix

I recently repaired the transom in my aluminum boat by removing and replacing all of the rotted wood. It was actually an enjoyable project and the boat is ready for another generation to enjoy. I used a marine grade varnish as a finish and it looks amazing. I guess what I am saying is do not skimp. The cosmetics and peace of mind is worth every dollar and minute you invest.

 

[jonesg]

Re: Transom quick fix

I agree it is an enjoyable project, the more tedious and involved it seems,
the greater the reward.