transom reinforcement???

[MercMe]

I have a 14ft Fiberglass runabout with a 40hp Merc on it. The boat is a 66 and the motor is a 62. I had some work done on it over the summer and the guys at the shop said that the transom was bad and in need or replacing. When I explained to them that I did not have the money or really want to spend $1500.00 on a boat that I had just bought and only spent 800.00 on (don't get me wrong it was an amazing deal and I love this boat!) I was told to reinforce it with stainless steel plates. The transom seems to be fine to me and dose not seem to be soft. But I also dont want to end up sinking my boat or lose my motor to the bottom of a lake either. So my question is this, has anyone done this and can they give me some tips or tricks to doing it right???

 

[Grand Larsony]

Re: transom reinforcement???

Start reading. Sorry you bought a rotten boat but it happens all too frequently.

Either do it right or scrap the boat. There is no shortcut.

 

[Chinewalker]

Re: transom reinforcement???

To do it "right", you need to fix it right. That involves replacing the transom. Putting stainless plates on the transom is NOT fixing it right.

A friend of mine brought a boat by to have me look at the motor. The transom had stainless plates on it due to a rotted transom core. What the transom plates don't account for is compression forces - the motor got loose, sheared one of the mounting bolts and slid over on its side on the transom while we were testing the motor. The core wood had gotten compressed, .ie thinner, and the mounting bolts and clamp screws loosened up.

If you're not able to do the work yourself or unable to afford to pay someone else to do it, then I'd recommend either parking it until you can or selling it and getting a boat that doesn't need that level of work... A rotted transom is an accident waiting to happen.

 

[MercMe]

Re: transom reinforcement???

The boat is not rotten If it needs replaced then it needs replaced. This isn't some p.o.s. I am just going to scrap. I am amusing that you think that because I paid so little for it that you think its junk. But there really isn't anything else wrong with the boat. Its 45 years old and in better shape then most of my friends newer boats. I personally don't even know if there is anything wrong with the transom. there is no signs of rot and it is not soft.

 

[MercMe]

Re: transom reinforcement???

Thank you Chinewalker. I think maybe I should get a 2nd opinion from another shop maybe they just want to scare me into paying them to replace it.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: transom reinforcement???

This has been moved to the repair section......my suggestion is to start reading....... the reading will take hours but save you hundreds of dollars http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=288451

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: transom reinforcement???

MercMe,

Welcome to the iBoats DryDock. The Best way to determine if your transom needs to be replaced is to take core samples. You do this by using a 3/8" drill and drilling 3/8" holes from the inside of the boat into the transom, down low at various locations, about 1" deep. DO NOT drill all the way thru. Use a piece of tape on the drill bit as a guide. If you get dark wet shavings or dry powder then you have a problem. If you get light brown dry shavings then you're good to go. If it's good, fill the holes with 3M 5200 and enjoy your boat. If not then you will need to replace your transom and there are plenty of examples here on the forum to help show you how to do that.

 

[MercMe]

Re: transom reinforcement???

Thank you Woodonglass! You have been very helpful!!!

 

[halfmoa]

Re: transom reinforcement???

Thank you Woodonglass! You have been very helpful!!!

I couldn't agree more. Internet hi five? Anybody???? C'mawwwwwwn..............................................

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: transom reinforcement???

MercMe,

If you get dark wet shavings or dry powder then you have a problem. If you get light brown dry shavings then you're good to go.

I've seen (on the Checkmate in my avatar) wood which at first glance appeared to be ok. Just to be sure I took 4 samples with a drill bit as described above, put them in individual zip-lock plastic bags and took them to work to measure moisture content with our lab scales. The wood shavings looked and felt ok, but within a few minutes of sealing them in baggies I was seeing condensation (talk about a sinking feeling). After I weighed the samples, dried them in an oven, and reweighed, I calculated a moisture content of well over 60% (it's supposed to be around 15% as I recall). By the next day the wood inside the holes had turned dark. What I found while tearing the transom apart was that the wood was only actually rotten in a few locations (near improperly sealed engine mounting bolts), but the entire transom was quite wet and no doubt would have rotted in short order had I done nothing.

So yes, I wholeheartedly agree with testing the wood in the transom. Just don't be blinded by optimism (and if you have access to accurate scales go ahead and measure moisture content to be absolutely certain).