Need some advice

[keithv3982000]

I was driving the boat and I heard a clunk from the rear of the boat and there was blue smoke coming from the back. The boat stopped moving immediately. When I looked the motor itself dropped almost 2 inches, because where the motor was mounted to had rotted and collapsed under the weight.
When I got the boat out of the water and then started the engine there is a grinding noise at the rear of the engine.
I spoke to a friend and he said that I have an issue with the spindles and the alignment of the engine and outdrive.
My question is? it this going to be an expensive fix? Does the motor need to come out?

 

[agallant80]

Re: Need some advice

Hello keithv3982000,

If you had a motor mount collaps due to rot then chances are you have some severe issue with the boat. First if the stringers are rotted the boat is pretty much trash unless you want to spend more time and money then the boat is worth fixing the rot, also the transom may be rotted. As for the motor collapsing. I would assume at the very least if you got lucky you only destroyed the coupler which costs about $500 and requires the motor to be pulled, if you bent the shaft on the outdrive that goes in to the coupler that can be pricey too.

Can you tell us more about the boat? Year, Make what outdrive do you have and what motor you have?

 

[84EdH]

Re: Need some advice

Keith welcome! Yes bad news. Engine must come out. Rotted wood and maybe transom needs repaired. Take the outdrive off with shifter in forward, before you pull engine. Post your engine and drive serial number and boat year so we know what your working on. Good info about how to do things in the adult only section at the top of the forum. Expensive? Lets just say what you describe happened is faifly extensive to make right.

 

[Gator1996]

Re: Need some advice

I would be interested to see some pictures if you have them. Definitely seems that if the motor mounts collapsed that would possibly cause serious damage hopefully the binding from the engine not being aligned caused the engine to stop immediately. I definitely would not make another attempt to start the motor until the outdrive was removed and a solid support for the motor was in place.

This may be a loaded question but how do you anticipate repairing/replacing the motor mounts without removing the motor? I guess if it is a 3.0 you could theoretically use the lifting ring to get the motor off the front mount with an engine hoist, demo the old mount, fab the new mount and then glass it back in; when cured, drop the motor back down. So its possible I think. The problem, I imagine is that the substructure of your boat is likely in similar condition and you might be better served to determine the extent of the rot first as agallant80 says. It may not be worth fixing to you. You will definitely have to take the drive off and I imagine you are looking at replacing the coupler at minimum, it would seem to me that the yoke might be able to handle a 2 inch drop but not sure. It is going to take some serious inspection which in my mind would begin with getting the motor back on solid supports.

Good luck! I will be interested in seeing what you find. Again, pictures would be great.

 

[Volphin]

Re: Need some advice

You may wind up having to support the engine with a cherry picker before the out drive will come off if the angle is extreme enough.

 

[keithv3982000]

Re: Need some advice

Hello keithv3982000,

If you had a motor mount collaps due to rot then chances are you have some severe issue with the boat. First if the stringers are rotted the boat is pretty much trash unless you want to spend more time and money then the boat is worth fixing the rot, also the transom may be rotted. As for the motor collapsing. I would assume at the very least if you got lucky you only destroyed the coupler which costs about $500 and requires the motor to be pulled, if you bent the shaft on the outdrive that goes in to the coupler that can be pricey too.

Can you tell us more about the boat? Year, Make what outdrive do you have and what motor you have?

I will have to get back to you all with some pictures and more information on the engine.
Thank you for the advice, just as bad as I thought it would be, but we will see.

 

[keithv3982000]

Re: Need some advice

Thanks everyone. I will let you know how it goes, but not looking to promising :mad-new:
May have to cut my losses on this one.

 

[keithv3982000]

Re: Need some advice

Hello keithv3982000,

If you had a motor mount collaps due to rot then chances are you have some severe issue with the boat. First if the stringers are rotted the boat is pretty much trash unless you want to spend more time and money then the boat is worth fixing the rot, also the transom may be rotted. As for the motor collapsing. I would assume at the very least if you got lucky you only destroyed the coupler which costs about $500 and requires the motor to be pulled, if you bent the shaft on the outdrive that goes in to the coupler that can be pricey too.

Can you tell us more about the boat? Year, Make what outdrive do you have and what motor you have?

What are the stringers? Sorry very new to boating.

 

[keithv3982000]

Re: Need some advice

What are the stringers? Sorry very new to boating.

By the way it is a 1992 Sea ray 200 cuddy.
It is a mercruiser 3.0 and I am not sure of the outdrive.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Need some advice

The strinngers are what the hull is built off of. Think of it as a structural joist in construction. an I-Beam

 

[84EdH]

Re: Need some advice

stringers are wooden supports that run the length of the boat and are covered in fiberglass. over time water finds its way into the wood and can cause rot. if your motor mounts collapsed, this is what happened. you wont know unitl your in there (once outdrive off and motor out) whether its lots of dry rot, or maybe just a local area. (chances are its a lot).

as far as the boat being junk, that's up to you. even if there is a lot of rot, it can be fixed. by you or someone else. I have a 1979 century that has been in my family for over 20 years. I did a lot of wood/fiberglass restoration to put it right. also, rebuilt the engine. it was not a financial decision, but an emotional one. (I like this boat, and I like teaching the kids how to water ski, like I did there parents on this boat when they were kids.) so whether you save the boat is your choice.

there is a restoration forum on I boats where you can get lots of help on evaluating your boats structural condition, how to repair etc.

the mechanics of the engine, drive, transom parts etc. you will get here.

at this point, you should get the serial numbers for your engine and outdrive and post them. you will then be given a link to an oem manual to guide you through drive and engine removal. at that point you can start finding out how bad the wood is in the transom, floor and stringers. you can find where to look for your drive and engine serial numbers in the adults only section at the top of this forum under mercruiser information. Achris was nice enough to put together the info. for where to look for those numbers to make it easy.

 

[keithv3982000]

Re: Need some advice

stringers are wooden supports that run the length of the boat and are covered in fiberglass. over time water finds its way into the wood and can cause rot. if your motor mounts collapsed, this is what happened. you wont know unitl your in there (once outdrive off and motor out) whether its lots of dry rot, or maybe just a local area. (chances are its a lot).

as far as the boat being junk, that's up to you. even if there is a lot of rot, it can be fixed. by you or someone else. I have a 1979 century that has been in my family for over 20 years. I did a lot of wood/fiberglass restoration to put it right. also, rebuilt the engine. it was not a financial decision, but an emotional one. (I like this boat, and I like teaching the kids how to water ski, like I did there parents on this boat when they were kids.) so whether you save the boat is your choice.

there is a restoration forum on I boats where you can get lots of help on evaluating your boats structural condition, how to repair etc.

the mechanics of the engine, drive, transom parts etc. you will get here.

at this point, you should get the serial numbers for your engine and outdrive and post them. you will then be given a link to an oem manual to guide you through drive and engine removal. at that point you can start finding out how bad the wood is in the transom, floor and stringers. you can find where to look for your drive and engine serial numbers in the adults only section at the top of this forum.

Oh thank you! I will get that is this weekend and begin looking into it

 

[searay3]

Re: Need some advice

I also have a searay cuddy, 21 ft seville. There are no stringers in that hull. All Fibreglass. I have been into the floor. The motor mounts on the other hand sit on wooden blocks encased in fiberglass. Sounds like that is what has rotted. I wouldn't dismiss the repair yet. Yes the motor will have to come out. There are very few wooden parts to that boat below deck, unless there was a design change between 87 and 92. that also explains why the boat weighs in at 4500 lbs DRY.

 

[84EdH]

Re: Need some advice

That sounds llike great news for keith!