Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

Spent lot of time messing with this transom, and at least 6 or 7 trips to home depot, for tools "excuse for new tools, lol", and material. I know, I know, it's not the correct way, but someone else is going to have to shell out 4k for a 1,500K boat to fix it correct. I cut out the rot, basically to the glass on the other side. Then cut/ installed a new piece of wood. Then sealed it with bond like glue. Then braced the bottom bolts all the way across with 1/8 angle steel. Also put a piece of steel across the top. The top isn't as study as the bottom, since it doesn't go across to the "good" sides.

I think the tri pod ski bar actually helps support the top bolts as well, since it's a solid steel poll, that's bolted to the floor, which is still sturdy. The only thing that makes the bottom steel plate work is the outside bolts, that went through good wood/fiber. Wasn't rotted, or soggy like the middle.

Now I'd like to add a support like a triangle of steel that hooks to the bottom steel plate, and bolts to the floor for extra support, always pushing backward against the engine while gassing it.

I know this isn't the fix, like I said, But it doesn't flex half as much as it did. I'm thinking I should have went with 1/4 inch steel since it's still flexing that steel a bit, instead of the 1/8. Lol, By the time I'm done, I'll probably have added 80 pounds of steel, bolts, braces, and fiberglass.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

I haven't sealed the bolts yet, and found this marine sealant. Should I coat the inside of the washer, and then tighten it down, oozing it out, or can I just cover the outside of the bolt, washer? I'm also going to take off all the bolts/screws to the transducer, speedo, ladder, and marine seal them as well.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

Since you admit you did not fix it correctly why bother with the sealant. It's really not going to help anything for very long. The boat is unsafe in it's current state no matter what you use. JMHO. Starting a new thread everytime on the same subject is very confusing and does not conform to the forum guidelines.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

Woodonglass said:

Since you admit you did not fix it correctly why bother with the sealant. It's really not going to help anything for very long. The boat is unsafe in it's current state no matter what you use. JMHO. Starting a new thread everytime on the same subject is very confusing and does not conform to the forum guidelines.

Click to expand...

Oh, my bad. Thought you were supposed to start a new thread to let the old ones die. Thanks for the help......

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

If the transom is all that is wrong, it's most likely only 3-500 to fix. And probably not much more work than you have done.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

That is just wrong in so many ways!

... everybody knows you can't mend a transom like that without duct tape! Several runs of duct tape from the top of the ski pole, over top and down the center of the windshield and on to the nav light at the bow and you'll be good to go!... Red Green style.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

I hate to tell you but you fixed the wrong side. The motor may slightly stress the top but the bottom of the motor transom plate will punch a nice hole if its rotten then water pours in as the bottom bolt become loose been there done that. Funny thing is if the transom was really rotten when you tightened the bottom bolts you would have cracked the fiberglass on the outside of the hull.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

glenn property of pam said:

bottom of the motor transom plate will punch a nice hole if its rotten then water pours in

Click to expand...

Yeah, rotten f'glass transoms will tear pretty easy, and it doesn't have to be a very big or heavy motor to do it.





... but some people just have to learn the hard way.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

12thManFalseStart Do the moderators and member's a favor.......... STOP starting new threads. Keep all your repair threads together! We know you are working on one boat.

Lot's of luck with the band aid repair. None of those methods were recommended or endorsed here on iboats.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

jigngrub said:

... but some people just have to learn the hard way.

Click to expand...

But what about those unwise enough to be in, on or around the boat when the owner has to learn this lesson..........

If you use that ski pole, you'd need to be extremely careful. Tying the soft transom to it via straps, plates, angles & bolts will subject it to forces it wasn't intended to resist. It may fatigue &/or fail sooner then later.

BTW: I'd save the money you'd be wasting on sealant. You may need it to pay for a SeaTow membership...

What's the recovery requirement for sunken vessels in Washington state? EPA fines?

Too bad, because it could have been a great looking craft

Best of luck w/ your project. I don't know you or yours, but please don't gamble w/ safety.

Boat & boat resto safely 12-man...... Hope to not see you & yours on the news.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

jbcurt00 said:

But what about those unwise enough to be in, on or around the boat when the owner has to learn this lesson..........

Click to expand...

That's one of the biggest things the OP needs to consider, the responsibility and liability of other peoples lives that he might have onboard.

... and those people may not be unwise, they just may not know what is wrong with the boat and what has been done to it... but worst of all, they may trust the OP completely. Putting yourself in harms way is one thing, taking unknowing family and friends with you is something else entirely.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

I sure hope your insurance guy doesnt see this thread

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

Guys all I can say is I now it is not the proper way to do the repair . You know how many boats I see with a little 9.9 in a 14ft with a board across the transom. They are hardly fast enough to beat the tide back into the bay. But they use them all summer for a scoot down the harbour for many years this way. Do I like it, no and is it safe no .But repairs are done all the time be it automobiles or boats. You don't have to like it but it works for him. I know he knows what needs to be done but guys don't beat him up for it. Do you think all the fishermen trying to make a living have perfect boats. No you should see some of them . I would not go out in them , but they know what it can take to put her down or at least they hope they do. As for insurance you don't need it on the waters up here. Also nobody here is responsible for what he chooses to do. JEESH I think he understands by now .

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

RufNutt said:

Guys all I can say is I now it is not the proper way to do the repair . You know how many boats I see with a little 9.9 in a 14ft with a board across the transom. They are hardly fast enough to beat the tide back into the bay. But they use them all summer for a scoot down the harbour for many years this way. Do I like it, no and is it safe no .But repairs are done all the time be it automobiles or boats. You don't have to like it but it works for him. I know he knows what needs to be done but guys don't beat him up for it. Do you think all the fishermen trying to make a living have perfect boats. No you should see some of them . I would not go out in them , but they know what it can take to put her down or at least they hope they do. As for insurance you don't need it on the waters up here. Also nobody here is responsible for what he chooses to do. JEESH I think he understands by now .

Click to expand...

Fairy tales with happy endings (mostly):
fishermen rescued after boat sinks - Google Search

Fairy tales with not so happy endings:
fishermen die after boat sinks - Google Search

To sit around and watch someone possibly put their life and the lives of others in jeopardy without saying anything is irresponsible and not how this crowd rolls.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

IMHO: By posting the same 'plan' & questions in multiple threads, it would appear to be repeatedly asking for advice, and approval of the current 'plan'.

If that isn't the case, it is still important to keep the massive lack of support, and the 'Please don't attempt to repair a transom this way' clearly obvious.

If not for this owner & their boat, then for other's who might find these threads in a search for how to rehab their boat. Someone else may not have the same boat/motor/transom conditions, or use the same plates/angles/fasteners and ski pole for reinforcements. They may have even less success then, as a whole, we have predicted this endeavor will lack.

I do not consider a 9.9hp on a 14ft boat of any kind, w/ a single 2X6+/- transom board crossing a harbour even remotely similar to the situation, repair methods, boat or motor involved in this thread. Those individuals are putting themselves at risk because of the conditions of the waterway they are navigating, perhaps under equipped/powered for a harbour crossing, but not because of the unsafe condition of their boat & transom. Certainly, they are putting themselves at risk, but the size of the motor & boat here put others at risk, not just those that choose to board this boat. It's this boat's condition that puts them at risk, in ALL waterway conditions.

Boat as you choose, boat resto as you choose but please do so safely.

No endorsement to be found here...sorry

No endorsement to be found here...sorry

I have sort of followed along the various threads you have started in an attempt to find a place where I could give you some good advice as to how to proceed with restoring your boat...

I have read and re-read all of the comments and suggestions given and I have to interject that, while some folks are ready and willing to take chances with their own safety, they should NEVER assume those that put their trust in them are willing to do the same...

At the very least, you should clearly and thoroughly inform any who wish to risk their safety with you on this boat, be made fully aware of the potential that they may end up in deep water trying to stay afloat while rescue services try to locate them...

Whatever you do, make absolutely sure everyone who rides with you is ALWAYS wearing their PFD's...

Since you have made it public record on this forum, that the repairs you made to this boat are not done correctly...

If, anything bad should ever happen, you may end up with civil claims made against you in a court of law, that is if you are still around to face them...

I really dislike having to churn out such a harsh and displeasing sermon on this forum, but if it helps to keep you or the next guy from "Driving in the rain at high speed on bald tires", then at least I tried...

The whole purpose of this forum is to try and help guys make the right choices when it comes to repairing or restoring their boats...when that advice is ignored and basically thrown back in our face, it hurts and angers the majority of the members.

This forum is here to help us make one of two choices...
1- Restore or Repair it CORRECTLY
...OR...
2- Strip it, Chop it up and Dump it

This is the LEAST likely choice you will be given here...
Completely ignore the advice given, throw a Band-Aid on it, throw caution to the seas, and hope for the best...

In my opinion, boats and water are like planes and air...when something goes wrong, you really don't want to be in either one...

Best of luck, consider me gone...:grumpy:

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

All I know is the transom flexed a bit before. It doesn't flex much at all now while basically jumping on the motor. I feel SAFER now. The only 3 other people riding in it live here. They see me working on it coming in and out of the house, and I've shown them what I've done/ am still doing. It's a river boat, always within 2 football fields of the shore. Everyone can swim. This is not a speed boat, jumping waves.

The only thing that worries me is the fine for boat recovery/ epa if it did happen to get a tear and sink. That could have happened before I did anything though. My tire "could" fall off while going to work as well.

I thought you were supposed to make a new thread for a new question. Didn't know you were supposed to stick with the same one throughout the entire process. Had a starter question. Thought I'd throw a question on "Electrical".

Feels like I entered that regulars bar, and getting the stink eye as I walk in. Group think. Maybe some of you that post 15k times here should get off the net, and get out and actually enjoy your super safe boats some more. My god. Arrogance runs amok here.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

Enjoy your boat, and boating, safely.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

+1 for GT1M's synopsis above.

Regarding the active community here, most of us enjoy the company of other boat restoration hobbyists, enjoy working on our boats, and enjoy watching and cheering on our fellow hobbyists. There are a few retired folks here for whom this forum is a large part of their lives. Who are you to criticize how they decide to spend their leisure time?

This is a boat restoration forum, not a meatball boat surgery station. There may be boards out there that specialize in that type of thing, but this isn't it. The folks here care about doing it right, and asking if they're not sure. Almost all of us who have bought used boats have had to overcome bandaid repairs done by PO's. The more of them we see, the more determined we are not to repeat any of them. Or to make fellow members aware that they are headed in a potentially bad direction.

There have been a few folks make what seemed to be radical choices in materials or methods, being challenged by other members in the process, but in the end demonstrating a new way of doing something. This would include the use of honeycomb core material for transoms or stringers, aluminum diamond plate for a floor, or residential deck treatment for a non-skid deck coating. None of them resemble trying to brace a transom with carbon steel or grafting plywood onto or into an existing transom.

This is a regulars bar. More and more new people join and become regulars every day. Most of them come back over and over, and a few become regular posters, working on their own projects, but trying to help and be supportive of the others too.

Nobody gets the stink-eye. Unless of course they walk in wearing a clown costume.

Re: Well, I know it's not the fix all, but for now, it's the fix.

12thManFalseStart said:

Feels like I entered that regulars bar, and getting the stink eye as I walk in. Group think. Maybe some of you that post 15k times here should get off the net, and get out and actually enjoy your super safe boats some more. My god. Arrogance runs amok here.

Click to expand...

And apparently some people won't take advice from others who are more knowledgeable and have hands on experience. I didn't know squat about how boats were constructed or how to repair them several years ago, but after doing a lot of reading and asking questions I was able to repair my first boat and we had several years of great use out of it before I sold it. With the knowledge and experience gained from doing that I wasn't hesitant at all about doing a complete rebuild on my Checkmate (and which I have full confidence in as I run the hell out of it). I'm currently helping my son rebuild a bass boat, and when we're done I'll know that it has at least as much structural integrity as when it left the factory and I won't worry a bit about my loved ones being on it and running it hard.

The thing that strikes me is that it seems that you're capable of doing the repairs. A boat your size wouldn't be all that expensive to repair, probably $500 to $600 if it was just the transom and under $1000 if you had to include stringers and deck. It's a nice looking boat and I don't get why someone wouldn't want to repair it properly and safely.