Re: Transom rot?
My experience has been if the level of soft wood is minimal [i.e. it has not migrated more than a few inches in any direction] avoid attempting to access the rotten wood by opening up the deck, and removing the foam or removing other structural members that restrict access to the problem area... perform a few exploratory drillings; do that by drilling small holes in the suspect area, and examine the tailings from the drillings, or have a pro boat surveyer do it. It isn't rocket science. If the tailings are wet and slimy the wood in that area is likely bad. Move away from the suspect location; drill a few more holes until you find good wood, work in a spiral or circular process. Good wood will simply produce dry drill tailings. That is a method of mapping the problem. Holes need not be larger than 1/8" to 1/4". If the wood is good plug the exploratory holes with a good epoxy, making sure you get full penetration in the hole [pressure fill if possible]............. If in the final analysis the infected area is small it is not likely to diminish the structural integrity of the transom or hull........evaluates the drill tailings to see exactly what the extent of the dry rot is... The basic structural integrity of the average boat can survive far greater pounding than the average boater will ever experience... West Marine and other manufacturers offer formulations of pressure infused products that will dry and restore the wood while at the same time introducing an antibacterial that will stop further growth of dry rot... I'm on my 18th boat. never owned a new boat, always used, but the first thing I do is pour a gallon of bleach into the drain hole at the transom, put the plug backin, and with the boat hitched up and pointing downhill. Drive it around for an hour making fast stops, hard turns and going up and down steep hills. If there is any dry rot, which is simply a living bacterial organism, the bleach and the gas given off by the bleach will KILL it dead in its tracks, FOREVER..... I pound 20-ft skiffs of every make thru the canyons off the Washington coast and have never had a hull break yet, nor have I ever lost a transom w/ an engine bracket... Bar Bender
