Check out this transom!

Hello all. I noticed a crack on the top of my transom the other day and I started looking on the forum for information about whether my transom is in need of repair. I had also wondered why I was getting a brownish stain near my drain plug lately. I've looked at some repair options because I think it is probably in need of repair. The transom feels sound with no movement that I can feel. The boat is a 1995 Starcraft with a 90 HP Outboard. It's kept outside in the summer and in a barn in the winter. There always seems to be some moisture around the drain hole. I'm assuming it is moisture coming from the wood in the transom. Take a look at the pics and let me know how bad you think it is. Thanks!

The brown stain around the drain hole. The fiberglass appears to be chipped here.


The inside of the transom. I think it might be cracked a little bit...






The crack that started the investigation is on top of the transom just above the motor mount.

Re: Check out this transom!

Alot of Starcraft restore projects here.... do a search for Starcraft.

Re: Check out this transom!

I don't like the look of those cracks on the inside skin of the transom. I think it is time to drill out the the drain tube with an oversizee hole saw and see if there is any rot. From the pictures it appears that the rot is everywhere. I don't even see any sealant around the motor mounting bolts.

Re: Check out this transom!

You say your transom is cracked a little bit. I think your transom is cracked a lot.

Re: Check out this transom!

Andy - thanks for the reply. You mention the "inside skin". Is this a coating that is sprayed or brushed over the fiberglass? I'm assuming the transom is wood sandwiched between fiberglass. Is the picture showing unfinished fiberglass or is there something else on top of the fiberglass. It looks like I'm going to be learning how to repair this. I'm hoping to be able to cut off the top of the transom and use seacast or the rot doctor stuff. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

Re: Check out this transom!

Use the seacast system. The rot doctor won't do anything much for that. That is definitely "rot juice" seeping out from your drain plug hole, and those cracks inside look pretty scary! Do it right and you'll have a transom that will last for many years to come.

Re: Check out this transom!

Well the outside skin of the transom (and probably the whole outside of the boat) is gelcoated. The inside skin appears to be just painted. The fact that it was not gelcoated isn't the reason for rot. The rot probably came about from many sources like:
-The drain tube
-Motor mounting bolts
-Screw holes for transducer
- Thru-hulls...........

You get the point. The only way to do the job right is to completely remove the rotten transom core. Do this you will need access to the transom which may involve removing portion of the deck and/or washboards. I haven't seen any larger scale pictures of the outside transom skin, but if it is in good shape I would do the job from the inside.

Peek around and study the boat to find where the best place to make cuts are. Usually the top cap (deck and gunwales) are secured to the hull with rivets that are hidden under the rub rail. You can drill out the rivets and make a cut athwardships across the hull, pull that section out and save for reinstallation when the project is complete.

Making a smart, well thought out initial cut will save you time and aggrevation in the long run.

How about posting some more pics of the damage and of the boat in general.

Re: Check out this transom!

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the replies. I'm away from home until later this week so I'll get a couple more pics up then. The boat looks to be in good condition even on the back of the transom. The gel coat is in nice shape on the transom with the exception of some small stress cracks around the mounting bolts. It looks like I'll be pouring some seacast some day, but I'm curious if you guys think the inside skin is in good enough shape to just remove the transom cap and all the rotted wood then pour. I'm hoping I don't have to remove every last piece of wood in transom, but do you guys think the seacast will work if I remove all the rotten wood and leave the good wood? I haven't looked inside the transom yet, but I presume the rot is worse near the center of the transom and I may have some good wood near the outer edges. I don't really want to remove the top of the boat, but then again if it has to be done then I'll have to do it. Thanks alot!

Re: Check out this transom!

I'd get rid of all the rotten wood. Water damages fiberglass as well, so the fiberglass must be grinded down to good glass.

I have no experience with seacast so I can't offer an opinion.

IMHO: I'd go with wood core or Coosa.

Re: Check out this transom!

Just to add to everybodies excellent thoughts, in Pennsylvania we call the "rot juice" JANG anything on a boat that looks out of place and smells real bad is JANG LOL I have seen alot of transoms with some really good damge, but that one looks ready for a gut out and redo. Question, it almost looks like this boat was rearended or the boat was backed into something solid? How do I know what that looks like, LOL long story! Good luck and post some pictures of your progress!

Re: Check out this transom!

If it was me... Cut the back fiber glass out, replace the wood and laminate it back with glass resin and mesh.

That worked great for my boat.

Re: Check out this transom!

Tiller that's a good thought about the damage. The damage may have caused the rot instead of the rot causing the damage. I know the previous owner had not used a transom saver when towing. The motor has a lever on the side that you can flip up then trim the motor down on it. I purchased a transom saver about a week before I noticed the damage....go figure. The lowest cracks on the inner skin are about 3 inches below the bolt and that is the same place that the motor mounting bracket ends. I'll get the other pics of the boat posted tomorrow and I'll also keep up to date on the pictures during the rebuild. Thanks.

Re: Check out this transom!

I got out today and took the extra pics of the boat. It looks like it is in nice shape from the outside. I guess it's what's inside that matters! Thanks.

Re: Check out this transom!

Here's some good reading concerning this problem.

http://209.190.4.227/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11294&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Re: Check out this transom!

I got out today and got the motor off. Geez what a pain the steering cable was. Thankfully my wife suggested taking the end off which was away from the cable. That worked so now she is the boat master. Any way I checked the top holes and the wood was dry and in good shape. The bottom holes looked good as well but when I scraped with a screw driver, I got a bunch of small wood chips that were real dark brown and slightly wet. Tomorrow the real fun starts.

Re: Check out this transom!

How old is that boat anyway? It looks practically brand new! Isn't it awfully "young" to be having transom rot?

Of course; since mine is a 1977 (with original everything...even after being stored outside all it's life...) so most any boat is "almost new" by comparison to me...

Chuck

Re: Check out this transom!

nice boat do it right get rid of the rot and seal her up good

Re: Check out this transom!

The boat is a 1995 and it appears that it was taken care of very well. Between being stored outside (I think) by the previous owner and what appears to be damage by the looks of the inner skin, the transom wood is wet.

I was able to cut off the cap of the transom and the wood was very wet but did not seem to be rotten yet. I only drilled out about the top six inches from the transom. I was pretty upset because there is a 3/4 inch piece of plywood that runs the entire back of the boat to make up the transom. The area behind the splashwell had another piece of 3/4 inch plywood sandwiched between the splashwell and the transom, but it was only about 18 inches wide. It didn't even stretch the entire width of the splashwell! So I have a 3/4 inch transom across the outside edges of the boat plus a 3/4 inch transom that runs from the bottom of the boat to the top of the splashwell and it is 18 inches wide. The inner skin is about as thick as a sheet of my printer paper so there is no way I can remove the rotten plywood while keeping the inner skin together.

I looked at removing the deck, but I am a one man show right now. I'll either have to remove the deck so I can completely remove the whole transom and build it up right, or I can try to work through the splashwell's two openings to make a form to "catch" the seacast.

To top it all off, I was looking at the stringers to see if I could find any rot there and I noticed a hole drilled on the inside of each stringer about an inch in diameter. Of course the holes were drilled after the fiberglass was added, and of course both the holes were wet. I hate Starcraft. Ugh. Both stringers sound real solid and I'm hoping they are okay, but I guess I'll have to drill it out to find out for sure. Maybe I can drill the stringers, see if any water comes out the drilled holes, then patch them up. There's no way to know for sure if the wood is rotten without cutting them up. I'm taking a couple days off, but I'll post some more pictures later this week.

Re: Check out this transom!

i don't know anything about boat repair, yet. i'd think that replaceing the transom is the way to go. any of the repair the rotton boards stuff is second best at that. i guess i look at it like if seacast was the stuff to use, the oem would have used it. i could be wrong of corse, maybe. as i see the constructin of boats in general it amazes me as to what don't hold them together. like staples. i just start thinkin of the stress that is put on a transom from a wot start for water skiin. that's a lot of force i would think.

that is one nice lookin boat. to bad for yer woes. amazing a 95. i think the same has happened to mine. left outside for to long uncared for. good luck.

Re: Check out this transom!

nice transom. Suprised your motor didnt come off d