First rebuild - '89 Campion Allante 185 - Stringers, Deck, Transom

[steve_h7]

This is probably a question I should know the answer... I'm rebuilding an '89 Campion Allante
185; floor and stringers are mush. I was hoping things would get better towards the transom
but I'm obviously not one of the 1%. I'm assuming since the stringers are bad up to the
transom, and the transom is very wet (but no actual rot visible like the floor and stringers)
I should still replace it?
My question is, if so, there's a well in the stern that I'm not sure what the proper name is
but it's part of the cap and butts up against the transom so I need to do something with it.
I REALLY don't want to try and remove the cap since this is my first rebuild and it might put
the project's complexity beyond what I can do, Is it possible to cut the well out of the way
and then maybe glass it back in place after the repair? Or?
I'm open to possible options that my beginner status can accomplish! I'll attach some pics that
show what it looks like: #1 is the rotten stringer and transom, #2 shows the well that needs to
be moved,whatever it's called.

Thanks in advance!

 

[kcon]

That's the splashwell, you can absolutely cut it out of the way and later glass it back it, just cut it in a section where it'll be easiest to lay glass down later.

What do you mean the transom is wet? Did you drill out a core sample (the lower the better, boats rot bottom up)

 

[steve_h7]

That's the splashwell, you can absolutely cut it out of the way and later glass it back it, just cut it in a section where it'll be easiest to lay glass down later.

What do you mean the transom is wet? Did you drill out a core sample (the lower the better, boats rot bottom up)

Perfect, thank you for that!
And the transom is physically wet as water everywhere when I removed the foam. Like I
said, it doesn't feel soft and no, I've not taken a core sample yet. I've never taken one before
so I'll do a search on best method and let you know the outcome.
That's great news about the splashwell. I was so not looking forward to trying to pull that
whole cap off.

 

[Woodonglass]

Take a picture a bit further away so we can see the back and sides too. We can then advise you on where to cut.

 

[steve_h7]

Absolutely, that'd be a BIG help. I took this one real quick as it's getting dark but if
one from the backside or a different angle would help, just let me know. I really appreciate
the advise!

 

[kcon]

If the stringers are rotten there are strong odds the transom is rotten so you definitely wanna rule that out, don't sweat a core sample, just gotta drill a hole in the lower portion (like an inch from the button of the hull up) of the center area of the transom (from INSIDE the hull) with a drill bit large enough to more or less see what's going on, like a 1/2 bit (just don't drill through to the other side lol). If the wood is good all you have to do is make some resin PB (epoxy+hardener+thickener, or poly+strands of fiberglass+cabosil powder)

I think you're in luck with the design of that rear area if you wanna keep the cap on, should be simple to cut it out, you'd want to cut it where you could also glass it from the inside as well.

 

[Scott Danforth]

even if your transom was just wet and not rotten. in a year or two it would be rotten.

no way to dry it out.

 

[steve_h7]

If the stringers are rotten there are strong odds the transom is rotten so you definitely wanna rule that out, don't sweat a core sample, just gotta drill a hole in the lower portion (like an inch from the button of the hull up) of the center area of the transom (from INSIDE the hull) with a drill bit large enough to more or less see what's going on, like a 1/2 bit (just don't drill through to the other side lol). If the wood is good all you have to do is make some resin PB (epoxy+hardener+thickener, or poly+strands of fiberglass+cabosil powder)

I think you're in luck with the design of that rear area if you wanna keep the cap on, should be simple to cut it out, you'd want to cut it where you could also glass it from the inside as well.

Thanks for the tips.
I caught your build thread too and read through it from the start and subscribed. Great job and
I appreciate all your help with my questions! :thumb:

 

[steve_h7]

even if your transom was just wet and not rotten. in a year or two it would be rotten.

no way to dry it out.

Ya, I think it was just a momentary burst of optimism when I saw it and it was the first time I've
seen something so far during this process that wasn't black and had the consistency of warm
brownie.

 

[Scott Danforth]

your lucky, most of the time the wood just oozes out having the consistency of my dogs bm's

 

[steve_h7]

Hahaha... quite the visual. :joyous:
Probably made it easier to remove the wood though! I'm going to get the other seat and storage out of the
stern tomorrow and then do a core test.

 

[Scott Danforth]

then do a core test.

doubt its needed.... you already know your redoing everything.

 

[steve_h7]

doubt its needed.... you already know your redoing everything.

You're right but I still had a little voice saying, "Well, maybe it's okay?"....

I got the last seat and storage out and drilled 4 holes in the transom... none were black wood but
all were wet. We've gone this far I might as well replace it all. I'll take some more detail pictures of
the splash well and the underside of it and see if you all have an opinion of where might be best to
cut it to access the transom.

Thanks all!

 

[kcon]

Thanks for the tips.
I caught your build thread too and read through it from the start and subscribed. Great job and
I appreciate all your help with my questions! :thumb:

Thanks much for the support! It's a long ride coming to an end very soon!

drilled 4 holes in the transom... none were black wood but
all were wet. We've gone this far I might as well replace it all.

Right on the money, good thing you did. The presence of ANY water in that wood is bad bad bad, you'll be far happier down the road that you're replacing the transom.


Take a top down, from the rear, pic of the boat - I'm thinking, in my perspective, it may be best to cut the whole rear top cap off from like 2 feet back, it map be the easiest portion of the cap to glass back together, and leave plenty of space to work.

 

[kcassells]

You're right but I still had a little voice saying, "Well, maybe it's okay?"....

I got the last seat and storage out and drilled 4 holes in the transom... none were black wood but
all were wet. We've gone this far I might as well replace it all. I'll take some more detail pictures of
the splash well and the underside of it and see if you all have an opinion of where might be best to
cut it to access the transom.

Thanks all!

Yea that voice drove me CRAZY for awhile, like all of us. It's like that little devil sitting on your shoulder going Nah.. it's gonna be ok then the other side says...told ya so.! Almost broke my neck going back and forth with them guys.
Just a little further it'll be ok..... neva is!
Just doit!

 

[Woodonglass]

We need to be able to see the entire transom and the side walls (gunnels/gunwhales) too

 

[steve_h7]

Take a top down, from the rear, pic of the boat - I'm thinking, in my perspective, it may be best to cut the whole rear top cap off from like 2 feet back, it map be the easiest portion of the cap to glass back together, and leave plenty of space to work.

We need to be able to see the entire transom and the side walls (gunnels/gunwhales) too

Thanks everyone for helping!
Okay, I'm going to see how many pictures the forum will let me post at once... I took a bunch of
different angles and hopefully a couple will help, but if not please don't hesitate to let me know!
These are mainly from above the splash well:


Here's some from the inside the boat looking up at the bottom of the splash well (note the block
of wood used on the kicker motor mount when it looked like they missed when drilling the bolts)
and some just showing the exposed part of the transom:

 

[steve_h7]

I didn't even notice when it happened and not sure how horrible it is... but during the removal of the last
seat storage I must have hit the floor with my sawzall. Went clear through the bottom. :blue:

 

[Woodonglass]

Congrats on the thru cut on the hull!!! You are NOW an Official iBoat Restoration Guru!!! It's and EASY fix so don't worry about it right now. You still don't have the pic I'm looking for sooooo, this drawing shows my recommendation for cutting the top cap at the gunwhales in front of the splashwell. Hope this makes sense

 

[steve_h7]

Congrats on the thru cut on the hull!!! You are NOW an Official iBoat Restoration Guru!!! It's and EASY fix so don't worry about it right now. You still don't have the pic I'm looking for sooooo, this drawing shows my recommendation for cutting the top cap at the gunwhales in front of the splashwell. Hope this makes sense

Good to know the cut in the hull is just a right of passage...
And wow, that is not at all where I was guessing the cut would be. I'll take a couple of pics in the morning of
the gunnels in that area to be sure you still think that's a good spot to cut.
Thanks for your help!