1985 Sylvan Transom repair

[HelixBoat]

Hello,

Well i purchased a new project, last year I restored a Sea Nymph but i was lucky it had a new transom, so this is very new to me, i am fairly handy but boating experience has been 1 year so far.

I just purchased a 16ft Aluminium Sylvan model 16SS full console.

The transom is horrible, it's rotted and it's separating from the splash well. I have read many threads on here.

I have a few questions, I understand i need to remove the top corner pieces, the top aluminium piece, all bolts and on the side there several Philips screws. What about the lower rivets and side rivets? do i need to remove those or can i leave all of those rivets in the transom? I am hoping I don't need to remove the lower rivets and the odd ones which are lower.

I read a few threads and do i remove the splash guard to make it easier?

As well when you insert the new transom do you glue it to the metal transom with the epoxy or no people are only putting clamps when installing to have it sit in place properly?

Any advice will be helpful

Thank you in advance,

 

[Frey0357]

Hello Helix, both welcome and congrats on the new boat!

As for the transom replacement, pics would help us all of course, but you wont need to remove the rivets only the bolts. You may choose to remove the inner splash well to make the transom removal easier, but usually not required. If you decide to remove the splash well there will be rivets you need to drill out and remove.

If the transom is rotten likely the foam and flooring should be suspect for replacement also.

If you attach some pics, I suggest Photobucket and then copy/paste the pics in....its pretty easy!

Frey

 

[HelixBoat]

Excellent Thank you Frey! I will post pictures when i get to the shop this weekend. Yeah this is the second project the first one came out great so we figured why not try another one, this one may be a bit more challenging but that's the fun part!

 

[HelixBoat]

Hello,

Attached pictures, do you see the one photo which has the top corner piece off. It extends to the transom do I need to remove the rail?

 

[HelixBoat]

Anyone have an ideas?

 

[redlinj]

I've just finished doing this on my '88 sylvan ss21. You may need to drill out a rivet, if there is one in the way of pulling out the old transom. No need to take off the rail. I just took a dremel tool and made an inch so cut up close and parallel to the rail. Then bend it forward till you get clearance for transom removal which may or maynot come out in one piece. Mine took 6 hours or so of prying, drilling and digging. Ended up using an electric chain saw. By far, the toughest part of the job so far. You may also have an inner aluminum skin that will come out with the transom.

 

[Tnstratofam]

There is a link to my Starcraft transom replacement in my sig line. Your Sylvan should be basically the same boat. I posted lots of pictures and got lots of good advice. Check it out it may help answer some of your questions.

 

[Frey0357]

Hello there Helix,
From the pics you provided it looks like the corner caps do have rivets that will need to be drilled out. The right corner cap is obviously broken leaving the wood exposed, further creating moisture to get to the transom core (wood). The pic you provided showing the transom pulling away from the splash shield is classic, and just like the one that I had as well! As you already know your transom is toast!

So, I suggest you remove the motor, drill out the corner cap rivets, remove those and then very carefully remove the transom cap. As you may be fully aware the transom cap is made from thin aluminum so it will break easily and replacements are very hard to come by. Remove all the bolts and screws, leave the rivets in the lower transom, oh an remove the splash well drains. You can get replacement drains from iBoats as one idea, and the tool to flare them like the originals.

I placed O bolts into the wood core of my rotten transom to pull out the solid pieces, but they still came out in pieces and then the remainder of my transom was vacuumed out with my shop vac.....it was really bad!

That should keep you busy, for a bit! Good luck and post pics as you go. Remember to suspect that flooring and foam under the flooring because it is likely wet also.

Frey

 

[HelixBoat]

Thank you everybody! I will post pictures this weekend after we start to take it apart!

 

[HelixBoat]

Hey Guys,

So today we got the transom out! It was extremely rotted. We managed to get the motor off, doors to splash well, and transom out in about 4 hours with 2 people.

It seems to all be in fairly good condition. Surprising the floors are not rotted. Well two 280lbs men in it didn't flex.

We are wondering can we use the transom cover pieace as template. ( see pictures)

So we are cleaning everything I was wondering do we have to seal anything on the bottom plate where the transom went?

Thanks in advance

 

[HelixBoat]

Hey guys for sealing the new transom wood, can I use this stuff
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/autom...t&utm_source=AskAndAnswer&utm_content=Default

It's fibre glass resin. We don't have to manny options out here. Was looking for something local.

 

[Bow Guy]

Woodnglass has a concoction that is available anywhere, give him a shout... and you can get Rust Oleum spar varnish at Lowes

 

[Frey0357]

Old Timers Recipe (this is what I used, it worked great!). I did use SPAR instead of Polyurethane:

 

[hotrod53]

I have a ''78 Sykvan Sea Master that i replaced the transom and the floor in. I made my transom out of 2 pieces of 3/4" marine plywood glued together with marine epoxy, I then coated it completely with the epoxy. It's been in the water for 4 years now and is holding up great. If you do go with marine epoxy, note that epoxy is not UV resistive therefore you will have to paint the exposed wood in the splash well.

The floor in my Sylvan was B-C exterior plywood, not marine. I went to a local manufacturing place that made fiberglass domes and I bought some of their resin. I coated the entire floor with the resin and made sure that I filled every hole that input in it with sealer. I then put marine carpet over it... It looks better than my living room.....lol.