Transom Repair

[Saddlehorse]

Well got the motor out of the 1987 Avanti today the bottom transom around Drain plug up to bottom transom mount bolts is rotted. Looks like i got a job ahead of me this fall .

 

[Woodonglass]

Sure do. Keep us posted

 

[Saddlehorse]

Will do ..
Talk about going through the emotions while drilling those test holes. Started closer to top and they came out great (all smiles) then moved about halfway down and all was good ( even bigger smiles ) . Then i got to about 3" off of the bottom and it was all wet and mush ( smiled turned upside down and think i threw up a little)
Cant remember who pointed out in my skeg repair post about the silicone original owner used around drain , well you was right and it was leaking as all rot is around the drain plug , maybe 4" up and about 12" across.

 

[Scott Danforth]

your lucky, I redid my '84 Avanti almost 15 years ago and by the mushrooms growing out of the top of the transom wood when I undecked it, it was rotten for a few years prior.

Build quality not stellar on them

easy boat to undeck

your frown will turn back around easy.

 

[Saddlehorse]

Yeah i agree the build quality isnt all that great at all . This is the first non bass boat for me . I know the stringers are in rough shape as well and need to be done. Good thing I got this boat on trade for a racing atv i couldnt ride anymore .

I am sure when i get started on this project i will be here alot asking all kinds of questions . Been talking to Dr Rot about their CPES product since only part of the transom is shot and he swears if i cut out and remove the lower and repacce and treat with the CPES and then Layup & Laminating resin i would be good to go . We shall see as I am still researching .

 

[Woodonglass]

CPES Is NOT a good transom repair!!! All it is, is, thinned epoxy and thinning epoxy ruins its inherit properties. I STRONGLY discourage you from using it. It's just another "Quick Fix" product and like they say..."It something sounds to good to be true...It usually is!!!!"

 

[Scott Danforth]

If you believe CPES, then I have ocean front property in South Dakota I want to sell you. I did seacast on my Avanti, and after spending all that time and effort for Seacast, i wont even use that stuff again. Same amount of work if not more than a traditional rehab

No substitute for mechanically removing rot and replacing the bad wood with good and then tabbing and foaming.

Guarantee that the foam on your Avanti needs to come out, so your deck is coming out

 

[Saddlehorse]

I am pretty certain the foam , stringers and all need to be done. Just alot of work and money to put into a boat i plan on getting rid of next spring when i get a bigger one, but also dont want to sale it to someone like i got it either.
This winter while I am off work for 2 weeks i will pull it in my work shop and see how bad it really is , but a 1987 i am aure it is all mush.
You have done this before and seem knowledgeable, about how much would I be looking at in parts to replace stringers , foam? I have the Plywood for the floor already .
Thanks

 

[Saddlehorse]

CPES Is NOT a good transom repair!!! All it is, is, thinned epoxy and thinning epoxy ruins its inherit properties. I STRONGLY discourage you from using it. It's just another "Quick Fix" product and like they say..."It something sounds to good to be true...It usually is!!!!"

Yeah this seems to be what I am finding after doing more research. It seems like yourself and Scott are very knowledgeable here and I will take yalls advice .

 

[Scott Danforth]

The transom would be two sheets of ply, the scraps can be used in some of the stringers and bulkhead

your going to need about 25 yards of 1708 and about 35 yards of CSM

your going to need about 10 gallons of resin

a pile of brushes and mixing cups

foam, etc

your looking at about $1200-1500 in materials for the hull resto including carpeting (which is easy to do if its uncapped)

wish I had pics of the cradle I made right after uncapping it.

I had OMG Stringer power, so my bilge/transom may be different.

here are some pics of me redoing my Avanti in July/August of '06

I sold it for $3k just prior to Labor Day weekend that year

 

[Saddlehorse]

That looks identical to my 87 170DLI even same color.
I could handle around $1200 or so i guess as that wouldnt be too bad, then guess I could just hand it down to my son since it would be like new again .
fixin to go outside so .y phone works better so i can get all the pics to load. Thanks

 

[Saddlehorse]

Only real difference i see between yours and mine is the sterndrive. Wished mine looked as good though .

 

[Woodonglass]

Check the 2nd link in my signature. Lot's of Good Info on everything you're about to undertake.

 

[Saddlehorse]

Thanks Woodonglass, I am step ahead of you and already saved it to read today . Scanned over it and looks like it will be some very informative info .

 

[kcassells]

I've used Woods formula and it does do the job!

 

[mickyryan]

tagging along

 

[Scott Danforth]

If your lucky the rot ends by the cooler just in front of the bilge. at least mine did.

my transom was mush, all the interior wood was rotten and to top it off, my sister had sheared the prop shaft off the drive.

so I rebuilt the drive, then used tools of destruction to tear out the mush to use seacast. I had used a circular saw blade on a 4.5" angle grinder to clean off the mush from the fiberglass and the chain saw to get the stringers, bulkheads and transom cleaned out.

as stated prior, seacast was more work than a traditional rebuild - probably by about 100 hours and about $400 more expensive.

 

[Saddlehorse]

Sorry to bring back old thread.
just got around to really working on it.

 

[Davetowz]

Saddlehorse, any updates on what you have gotten done?