is my transom ok or is she GONE!!

hi ppl,

i have an 83 pride cheetah and i just put a new motor on it. i was doing some work on it and i tilted it so the bow was up and water started POURING out of the old engine bolt holes, and either side where the bottom 'shell' meets the top shell.. i realise the transom is full of water, but, it is still strong, very strong, if i yank on the motor while in the up position, it doesnt budge the transom at all..

the boat was sitting in a yard for a year or so and had collected about a foot of water in it when i was given it..

it has a large rubber 'band' around the perimeter of the boat, so im guessing i can remove it, separate the top from the bottom and check it out? is this possible or are they usually glassed together as well on the join?? thanks in advance for any help!!

mick

Re: is my transom ok or is she GONE!!

ok....im a little lost here.....

your boat stated pouring water from the hull cap joint???.....(the rubber band around the boat).....thats a rub rail by the way.

unless there was a ton of water in the boat.....and you pointed the bow.....waaaayyyyy up......i cant see how the water was so close to the hull/cap joint....unless this is one of those little speed boats....????

ok.....if your transom is strong..lets not pull the cap off yet...just put a heated ceramic or oil fan heater in there and dry it out......then we can sound the hull for rot....then possibly take some core samples

Re: is my transom ok or is she GONE!!

yes its a 14-15 ft little speed boat.. haha good description.. so when i tilted the motor to trailer position, i was able to do a huge wheelie! im thinking as it had a foot or so of water in it, its soaked into the transom, and hasnt had time yet to drain back out( slow input- slow output?) or maybe the leak inside is so high up, it cant drain out..? ill post pics in a minute..

Re: is my transom ok or is she GONE!!

Re: is my transom ok or is she GONE!!

my boat had the same problem BUT every boat ive drilled into had this problem and i dont understand it. when i pulled the scuppers on my markell osprey water oozed out of the wood but the wood was in good shape. when i drilled into the top of the bow to install a pulpit, the wood pulp was wet. how it gets wet up that high, i dont know. when i drilled into the top of the transom on a customer's wahoo, water seeped out there as well. i think you'll be fine depending on how long it has been wet. theoretically it will rot but marine plywood is pretty stable.

Re: is my transom ok or is she GONE!!

thanks Hardcore, i was thinking ill just go for it, and if it looks like its flexing too much ill sort it out then.. cheers!

Mick

Re: is my transom ok or is she GONE!!

"...how it gets wet up that high..."

One or both of two ways. Capillary action or intrusion from above. Don't assume the leak is lower and the wet rises above the source of water. However, the damge caused by water intrusion is insidious and will continue to spread until the source is repaired.

Re: is my transom ok or is she GONE!!

micky d said:

thanks Hardcore, i was thinking ill just go for it, and if it looks like its flexing too much ill sort it out then.. cheers!

Mick

Click to expand...

Hello Mick..

Yup..thats probably what I would do ..From what I see and hear

I have seen alot of boats fill with water with no emediate problems.

YD.