Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

[renken83]

...I don't even know what it's called :redface: It's the "plate" that spans across the stringers that the motor sits on. '83Renken fiberglass 18'boat with 3.0Merc I/O. It's lower than the floor and looks to be a seperate piece. There was a boatplug sized hole to allow water to drain into the bilge area but that rear vertical piece is pretty much all rot and just inside of that is too. Where the motor mount bolts into it seems solid.
Any tips on how to deal with this? If I knew how the construction was underneath, I'd think about blocking the motor, removing the mount and ripping out the "plate". Since I don't know what I'm doing...I'm here. I'll also ask around the local places to get ideas/quotes.

My apologies if this is under the wrong topic.

-Bill

 

[vandy21]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

You'll have better luck in the restoration forum, but I can't move it there. Maybe one of the Admins can. anyway, what you are talking about is the transom of the boat. Rotten wood on the transom, and or deck and stringers is very common on used boats. Make sure you check the deck (floor) and stringers for any rot too, no guarantees, but there is often rot all around. There are tons of threads about this on this website. Many members do a transom repair at some point because it will cot you thousands to have repaired at a shop, but it would be much less expensive to repair it yourself. Just many man hours. What type of boat is it? how big? Good luck should you choose to tackle this project. Please post with any and all questions you have, there are no dumb questions on this site. ~Vandy

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

Are you talking about the wood that the front motor mount is bolted to? Is this at the front of the motor or the rear? Is there any chance you can get pictures of the area?

 

[renken83]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

Thanks for the replies!

vandy21, I wasn't sure if this was considered part of the transom or not. Correct me if I'm wrong, the transom is the back wall of the boat. The motor is inside the boat and the "plate" I'm referring to is on the floor at the front of the motor so I didn't think it was. The rear of the motor is bolted to the transom or at least the outdrive is but my parts i.d. is VERY limited! It's a '83 Renken fiberglass 18' boat with 3.0Merc I/O.

Yes RotaryRacer, it is the piece the front motor mount is bolted to! I can get some pics posted later, sure.

 

[vandy21]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

oh, sorry, I was a little unclear on what you were talking about. if you do get a chance to add some pictures, that would help.

 

[matt2002]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

You probably could sister it up with some new wood if need be.Just to be on the safe side.
About 10 years ago a couple of youngsters took an old outboard boat out of Moriches Inlet into the mighty Atlantic.Guess what ? The transom had a rotten core , the outboard broke off and the boat sank , drowning both people.

 

[renken83]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

You probably could sister it up with some new wood if need be.Just to be on the safe side.
About 10 years ago a couple of youngsters took an old outboard boat out of Moriches Inlet into the mighty Atlantic.Guess what ? The transom had a rotten core , the outboard broke off and the boat sank , drowning both people.

Well that makes me feel a whole lot better!

 

[matt2002]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

Bays/Ocean is unforgiving.Not to long ago a young couple went out into the ocean on a wave runner.They ran out of gas and died from exposure.In the Summer !

 

[renken83]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

matt2002, I'm guessing you're a "cup is 1/2 empty" type

O.k., here's some pictures. The first is looking down on the motor. I scribbled arrows in to show the outline of the "plate" I'm referring to. The brown carpet on the floor is higher than the plate. I think you can see that and the bottom floor beneath the motor is below the "plate". It's hard to see but it does look like the "plate" is sitting on stringers or something similar on both sides. The second pic was taken from under the motor looking back up toward the "plate'. If there is a technical name for the "plate"...can you please tell me. I feel like an idiot writing "plate" so much Anyway, you can see there is a sizeable opening now in the 2nd pic but it was just a 1"-1 1/2" hole originally. As far as I can reach with my hand I can feel rotted wood up under the "plate".

 

[matt2002]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

If it worries you , jack the motor up , support it , and glass in a new plate.

 

[renken83]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

...Any tips on how to deal with this? If I knew how the construction was underneath, I'd think about blocking the motor, removing the mount and ripping out the "plate". Since I don't know what I'm doing...I'm here. I'll also ask around the local places to get ideas/quotes.

-Bill

If it worries you , jack the motor up , support it , and glass in a new plate.

Great idea! Is the mount simply bolted to the plate or does the support go beyond the plate? Since it is only a relatively small area (yeah right! Until I get into it!!) should I consider replacing it with something else besides wood/fiberglass?

-Bill

 

[pigrge]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

Hey Buddy, I am doing mine as well as the transom stringers ski locker and gas tank area. That are on mine, 1982 Sea Ray was pretty thick glass over two 3/4 inch pieces of epoxy coated and glued plywood. Those pieces were both cut at an angle to match the hull, annd then the motor mount was screwed in with stainless lag bolts. VERY easy to cut out and redo. This area HAS to have space underneath so water and naturally drain back to the bilge. I hope this helps. Thanks!

 

[renken83]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

Thanks pigrge, that's what I was hoping to hear.
Good luck on your project!

 

[Todd Peterson]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

Dear wood rot,

I just picked up my Baretta 22 footer with a 470 mercruiser from the local marina in Minnesota and gave them $2,700.00 to find the problem with the water in my engine oil. They found nothing (different thread).
They told me it would be $1,200.00 to pull the engine, that they just fixed, to replace the beam for the motor mount in between the two stringers. Also, the stringers were rotten and they could not use a steel plate to rest on the rotten beam to mount the motor mount and stringers.

Looking at your pictures, it looks like solid 'morning wood' to me. To night my boat is tore up to the fiberglass hull. I will replace the stringers next to the 470 mercruiser, add new wood and epoxy, new foam in between the stringers, screw down the new treated plywood, get new carpet and seats and then give the boat to my wife after the divorce.

What can a man do.

I will be putting my project of interior restoration in this msg board, I need the help. See you soon.

Todd

 

[renken83]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

Dear wood rot,

I just picked up my Baretta 22 footer with a 470 mercruiser from the local marina in Minnesota and gave them $2,700.00 to find the problem with the water in my engine oil. They found nothing (different thread).
They told me it would be $1,200.00 to pull the engine, that they just fixed, to replace the beam for the motor mount in between the two stringers. Also, the stringers were rotten and they could not use a steel plate to rest on the rotten beam to mount the motor mount and stringers.

Looking at your pictures, it looks like solid 'morning wood' to me. To night my boat is tore up to the fiberglass hull. I will replace the stringers next to the 470 mercruiser, add new wood and epoxy, new foam in between the stringers, screw down the new treated plywood, get new carpet and seats and then give the boat to my wife after the divorce.

What can a man do.

I will be putting my project of interior restoration in this msg board, I need the help. See you soon.

Todd

Ouch Todd, that hurts. But at least you'll get a divorce out of the deal eh?

Seriously...you lost me with "it looks like solid 'morning wood' to me."?

 

[oops!]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

the hull extension thread has detailed picks of the motor mount area......

as my buddie pigrge said there is peices of ply wood in that area (each side of the bilge......water proof that one good....it is a major area for water collection

 

[Todd Peterson]

Re: Wood rot in new(used) boat in the...?

Yes, you are right. I was just thinking about normal use with kids getting back in the boat from swimming and a little rain collection. I will go back and look at my bilge area and make sure I have the sides well fiberglassed and epoxy up the sides.