Thanks: A2J15Sport Each boat will be a little different, sometimes you will have to cut the deck, the top cap, side walls or all the above, removal of cap is sometimes necessary in order to reach the entire inside of the transom. I should say this is a project boat and is on the market at approx 1/3 to ¼ of a similar boat in good condition. after getting it back home & driving it around the lake we discovered they left two screw holes in … Second, the transom opening isn t wide enough to get a decent vacuum hose down so there was no way to get the loose wood out except to dig it out … Mix resin then apply to transome on top of the fiberglass piece. I could dig out a handful and then run into a piece of dry wood that wasn t rotten at all. The work involves working with wood, messy, paint, creates poisonous fumes, fiberglass, and epoxy and usually makes for a full holiday of effort, followed by a week of observing paint and gel coat dry. Repairing the transom is not that difficult if you have the right tools and equipment. Be sure to repair and seal the drain hole you made as well. The boat was built in 1968, so I'm not sure exactly what they used (it's a Pearson). What is the best way to dry the transom You could vacuum bag it for a few days, which might dry it out, but you'll have no true way of insuring it's dry, but more importantly be able to restore the rotten core in the places it is bad. I just let all the squeeze out happen at the top of the transom and puddle on a bit of plastic to protect the ground. I have read a couple of places that you need to come in a couple of inches rather that cutting the entire transom out. Just a little info, the boat is a 73 Starcraft 18OB with an 85hp Chrysler outboard. Much of the interior woodwork (bulkheads and cabinetry) is some kind of marine plywood. I think I will leave be for a while. Let the area dry out over the winter, and in the spring locate the spot where the water originally entered, repair, and seal it. I take out the screws and look to see if any water runs out. Make sure your bilge is dry... apply an anti-fouling paint if you store the boat in the water... and make sure the paint coatings on … After pulling the boat into a very dry shop and leaving it for a couple of days with two good size holes in the hull of the boat, it is now dripping out of the two small holes in the transom. If there are soft spots in the transom of your boat, it may be time to reinforce the transom with a composite core material. You need to dry it out really good with a blow dryer or whatever.....then rough up the surface really good with a 40 grit sandpaper so the resin sticks then practice mixing resin. Transom Fabrication: Typical small boats have transoms made of wood, as the years pass the wood will rot and become useless. Sounds obvious, but many try to avoid it. Use mounting screws (not supplied) to secure them, using the mounting holes on the up- and down-relay brackets. Why does it need reinforcing? Boat can look new and have a bad transom!!! When we pulled the boat out on the trailer, water poured out of the screw hole. It can still take weeks or months, but not years like closed cell foam. Transoms are usually replaced from inside the boat. Often a wide metal plate will adequately reinforce the transom but the problem can’t always be fixed with that simple solution. wood in transom area is wet & i sealed it up. Now my boat has inboard power and the transom is closed all the way up. Below is a detailed guideline on how to repair the transom on your boat. I do not find this acceptable in a modern vessel after only 16 weeks in water and five months dry storage. “I’m listening for contrasting sounds. I ordered a piece of Coosa 48x32 inches, 1 1/2 inch thick from: Coosa Board | Coosa Composites | Boat Decking Material Shipped to my door from Florida to Missouri was a little under $300.00. Quick Transom Test. we put our boat in the shop for repairs & to install a new fish finder system. General Q & A - Best way to dry out hole in transom - Lost my speedo foot, and pulled a screw out of the transom. The work is messy, creates toxic fumes, involves working with wood, paint, fiberglass and epoxy and generally makes for a full weekend of effort, followed by a week of watching paint and gel coat dry. I love the boat and want to get it back to life and back on the water without breaking the bank before i get married in September. He uses the hammer to perform a simple tap test on the laminate in question. It is made of wood, and water will migrate in wood. Make sure every little water entry point on the transom is sealed. I noticed the transom of my fiberglass boat (1979 Seasprite) was wet, the previous owner drilled a hole through the splash well area and never sealed it. You are floating it in water, so bad things can happen. Following… Transom Replacement With a Plywood Core: This tutorial will focus specifically on the most common type of transom job; how to replace/rebuild a plywood cored transom. I can't work out how it manages to hold a 60hp motor pluse all the forces while in the water. 2) I will be "attempting" to cut the out the transom from the rear now. The condition of the stringer system, transom and deck are crucial. Little bit of any eye-opener, for me, anyhow. Anyhow, when I acquired the boat last year, there were a few cabin roof and deck leaks, including one … In the case of the example boat, there was a motor well bulkhead that made a natural place to cut through the liner/sole for access, but each boat … Hopefully that would dry up anything you have gotten wet to this point. M… It should also be noted that high moisture levels were also found around the I/O transom assembly cutout, another area of exposed wood the builders frequently forget to seal. In all my years of restoring power- and sailboats — a wide range of brands and models — I have yet to find a completely dry transom on a boat that’s more than 20 years old. But water did find it's way into the bildge. Usually, a problem with the boat transom does mean you’re in for either a costly or a labor-intensive repair—or both. This instructable will guide you in removing, fabricating and replacing the transom of that old boat you just bough againt your wife's wishes. “I walk around the boat and tap different areas — key areas like the transom — and I listen carefully,” says Perette. Find a dry, accessible place near the stern of the boat to mount the two relays. I used a sawzall to cut that stuff out. I would use silicone. I've seen cores completely rotten, but most of the time it's just localized rot, again around the penetrations and collected at the bottom of the transom. contender: posted 06-29-2012 03:35 PM ET (US) I had to make a few minor repairs to … For example, repairing an outboard on your boat transom can mean removing the transom top, removing any associated fixtures, digging out bad and rotted wood, letting the interior dry, treating the area, and re-assembling. It does mention that the moisture level may drop if the boat is hauled out and stored ashore but also indicates that the epoxy may have been applied before the boat has dried out. This means removing all the internal structure, seats, and tanks, etc. I still need to rig it out and get a seat made, as well as a new coat of gel. Here in Philly the constant rain has left me really know time to get out to the boat. The Transom was dry when I got it in February but my fiberglass guy did a shoddy job on a thru hull fitting and it has since gotten wet. Epoxies do not penetrate wet wood very well. Yeah you would think the marina would have said something, especially if they drilled new holes and noticed the dark rot. Have some one look at the transom from the side and with the motor at an angle put your leg or arms on the lower unit and push down with your weight. It’s important because it allows at least some of the bad wood to be removed, and allows what’s left to dry out. How do you reinforce a fiberglass boat transom? I'm not sure if the transom is cored or fiberglass on the outside with a Plywood interior side. That's plenty big enough for the transom, elbows and then some. I knew this was going to be bad, so this was no real surprise. should i open it back up and let it dry out?..? The key to repairing a rotted-out transom is gaining access to the wood inside of the transom. 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