Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

[FLTelco]

I have a 2002 Suntracker 22' with a 2004 Mercury 90HP Saltwater motor that I keep in a wet slip on the gulf. I put on trailer to bring home to install a depth finder and the transom broke off the boat.

How to start on this repair?? I live in the Clearwater FL area.

See photo

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

How was it attached? If it was bolts did the heads pull through or did the nuts fall off?

 

[roscoe]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

I'd start by crying, then picking up the pieces. Sorry.

Looks like the fasteners failed and the engine mount just fell off.

Be thankful this didn't happen while the boat was still in the water, or on the highway at 60mph.

Inspect everything from framing to welds and fasteners, looking for cracks and corrosion.

Then its time to correct any defects you find, using materials a bit more suitable to the saltwater environment, perhaps replace the mount with a fiberglass mount..

Rebuild at twice the structural integrity.


I never liked the way the mounts were bolted to the bottom of the deck framing.

I would rather see the mount flanges on top of the framing so the weigh rests on the flange, instead of hanging from a bolt.

 

[FLTelco]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

It pulled the bolts thru leaving the bolts on the Transom and large holes in the cross beams on the Pontoon boat.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

Show us a pic of what the transom looks like, both sides.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

thats a ops. do you have anything like a engine hoist/straps you can lift the outboard with. you might have to surport the motor with straps to the boat then very slowly move forwards until you can get a engine hoist on to concreate then lift the motor and cut it free. once you have the motor out of the way you can remove whats left of the transom mount and the guys here will tell you how to put it back on.

 

[joed]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

If the wood is rooted causing the bolts to pull through then the repair is make new pieces of wood and bolt them back on.
If the bolts just pulled through good wood then bigger washers under the bolts to give more contact area.

 

[rbh]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

Just looking at the side thats still attached I can say it does not appear to be heavily reinforced anywhere.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

I don't imagine you have any wood there, so its not like its rotten. Trackers are low end boats for sure, but this kind of failure is beyond reasonable.

The first think I'd do is contact Tracker and complain like heck. It doesn't matter that its out of warranty. Expecting that the aluminum transom should not fall off in 10 years (assuming it was not over-powered) should fall under the implied warranty IMHO.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

WOW, been building pontoons for 25 years and never seen that one before, I have seen cracks but never a total failure like that.

I agree with Jim, get with a Tracker dealer and see if the can help you but don't hold your breath, being that far out of warranty I doubt they will do anything about it which is actually fair not knowing the history of the boat.

As far as a fix I would get with a local fab shop and see if you can get some thick aluminum tabs above the crossmembers and below the pan with some new stainless bolts.

Hope it didn't jack your engine too much.

 

[JEBar]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

WOW, been building pontoons for 25 years and never seen that one before, I have seen cracks but never a total failure like that.

I've owned many different types of boats over the years but, while I've always wanted one, never a pontoon .... with no first hand experience with them, I've been wondering how common this type of failure may be .... very good to hear that it appears to be a rare occurrence

Jim

 

[FLTelco]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon



I have attached multiple pictures of the Transom Failure. I did using heavy duty tie down straps lift the motor off the trailer to have it safe to carry to my mechanic on Monday. It appears no outward damage was done to the Motor. Regarding other areas on the boat that may have issues all of the connections of the Pontoons to the alumimun frame seem to have corrosion as well.

I will take the advice of complaining to Tracker but, like stated by 5150 abf I assume they will do nothing. The boat is rated for 90 HP so, the power rating was not exceeded

I'm not a very good mechanic when I get out of electrical so.... I will probably have to get professional help on this one. I just had Hydralic steering put on so.... I'm pretty deep into the boat at this time.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

You're not saying that you are actually going to trailer that thing to the mechanic are you? Take the motor off of it. Should only be 2 shift/throttle cables, 1 multi pin quick connect, the 2 battery cables, steering cable and the water pressure line. Then you can unbolt the 4 bolts and get the motor off there.

 

[Jonvee]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

I would say the corrosion around the bolt holes is because of dissimilar metals being tightly against each other. The stainless steel bolts/washers and the aluminum transom and salt water acted like a battery. In the aircraft world bolts are cadmium plated to reduce this problem.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

I would say the corrosion around the bolt holes is because of dissimilar metals being tightly against each other. The stainless steel bolts/washers and the aluminum transom and salt water acted like a battery. In the aircraft world bolts are cadmium plated to reduce this problem.

If that's truly the cause, then Tracker is 100% liable, regardless of the age. That's a Manufacturer's defect.

It later occurred to me....have you been trailering her around with the motor up and no transom saver? My FIL did that and you could see the stress cracks getting bigger each year until that transom fell out as well.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

Myself I would just get the right size aluminum, create backing plates and bolt it back together with the correct bolts and be back on the water in a day.

LK

 

[winger2006]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

Would this be a good time for a tri toon conversion?

 

[FLTelco]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

Got the boat to the Mechanic this morning. He had never seen anything like that. I didn't have an engine hoist to lift the motor off but, used heavy duty car tie downs to secure the motor and did a very slow 2 mile drive to his shop. He will pull the motor and discuss with a local fab shop who also is a welder the best way to re-secure the transom to the boat.
I will be calling Tracker this morning to complain.

Thanks for all the feedback. I will post the solution and the total tab after it is fixed. I'm lucky that i have a very reasonable mechanic and he did not see any signs of outward damage to the motor, cables, etc......

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

Got the boat to the Mechanic this morning. He had never seen anything like that. I didn't have an engine hoist to lift the motor off but, used heavy duty car tie downs to secure the motor and did a very slow 2 mile drive to his shop. He will pull the motor and discuss with a local fab shop who also is a welder the best way to re-secure the transom to the boat.
I will be calling Tracker this morning to complain.

Thanks for all the feedback. I will post the solution and the total tab after it is fixed. I'm lucky that i have a very reasonable mechanic and he did not see any signs of outward damage to the motor, cables, etc......

Good you got it there without busting anything up. If anyone suggests welding any of that, then run to a different mechanic.

 

[FLTelco]

Re: Transom Broke off Suntracker Pontoon

I have left a VM and sent an email with pictures to the Senior VP of Operations at Tracker Marine at their corporate office in Springfield so, hopefully that will rattle some cages and get a response on this. I am very good at obtaining contact numbers within corporations and have found if you start an issue high enough they tend to more responsive to get it off their desk and not deal with disgruntled customers.