Transom Drain Tube installation

[gamarines2]

I have a 1989 Glastron GX-216 I/O. I had a problem with the rubber expandable drain plug just not getting very snug, in fact it physically fell out once. I noticed that the hole was slightly larger than 1 inch and it was just wood, so I figured it needed some sort of fitting. I purchased a 1" brass Transom Drain tube, stuffed some 3m 5200 in the hole and around the outside of the tube, shoved it in there nice and snug, and let it cure for 7 days. It seemed to work just fine first couple of outings, but this last weekend, I noticed it sticking out slightly and pulled on it, it came out with little resistance.

I now assume that 5200 and brass don't stick too well. Anyone have a recommendation how I can make this a nice secure seal? I want to keep my boat in a wet slip and I am troubleshooting, one thing at a time until I can get this thing leak free (shift cable bellows now my next short term repair).

Should I go with a different (vinyl or something) setup?

 

[dingbat]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

Chances are the existing tube has been compromised. I would just replace the whole thing with one of these and be done with it.

Available in the I-boats store up above.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

i prefer the thru hull pvc fittings, with the nut inside. the rubber stopper is adjustable. hold one end and turn the handle, and the rubber compresses more.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

IMHO PVC fittings in a thru hull application have no place on a boat. PVC is highly susceptible to deterioration from UV light and gives little to no indication of an impending failure.

We had a boat go down on Monday in rough water due to what they suspect was a failed plastic hull fitting. Why take the chance to save a couple of bucks?

 

[i386]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

i prefer the thru hull pvc fittings, with the nut inside. the rubber stopper is adjustable. hold one end and turn the handle, and the rubber compresses more.

Got a link to one of those? I was going to use a brass/bronze one like originally installed but it requires a $35 flaring tool. I'd be interested in seeing the one you're talking about.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

When I re did my transome I had to replace three of the brass tubes. One was the bilge drain and the other two splashwell drains. I didn't want to buy the flairing tool either because of price and had heard they don't even work all that well. So I got creative and found a way to do it with great success and it was easy. 1 measure tube and cut 3/16" longer than transom thickness. 2 clean area well and coat inside of hole(s) with thinned epoxy let cure. 3 slather inside of hole and tube with 5200. 4 insert precut tube and block pre flaired end tight. ( use a 2x4. or shims or even a bottle jack if possible) 5 get a small/medium and a med/large ball peen hammers start with the smaller one, insert ball into tube and lightly tap to get flair started tap until ball is bottomed out. Then go to larger ball and proceed with tapping until it is bottomed out. Still using large ball work around edge until almost tight with transom then go to flat side and tap until good and tight and flat. 6 clean up all excess 5200 with damp rag and smooth around tube with finger let 5200 cure( I used the 24 hr set) and your finished. All three of mine took about twenty minutes the brass is very mallieable and is real easy to work. I put all of the factory flaired ends on the outside that way it was easy to wedge a 2x4 against the boat and my garage wall also use about a 6" piece against the tube and wedge the kicker against that. Sounds like a lot on paper but it really does go quickly with professional results. good luck.

 

[gamarines2]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

Well, since my power unit is still in the boat, I think getting in there with a ball-peen may be pretty darn tough. I am thinking about just fabricating a tool to use as a flaring device. I could use a fine thread bolt with some type of flare on the inside secured by a heavy nut. Then stick a air hammer on the nut and turn till snug....does that sound like it will work? Anyone design anything like this?

 

[JustMrWill]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

Here is what the "official" flange tube looks like....it is just a 1/2" bolt, some washers...the actual flanging elements and a nut...

http://www.iboats.com/Flanging_Tool...d.257635--list_time.1187873268--view_id.39180

If you know someone who can machine the flanging parts...the rest should cost about $2 at any hardware store.

I got lucky and borrowed one from a friend that re-builds boats for a living.

-JMW

 

[wire2]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

I think your original brass tube can be made to work, if you still have it.

Brass, like most metals (other than gold) will tarnish from combining with oxygen. That layer makes it difficult for some adhesives to stick.

Scuff it up with some coarse sandpaper first, wipe with acetone and apply a small patch of 5200, (not in the transom). Leave it a few days, then see how well it bonded.

Stuck solid now? Get it off with a knife, sand & wipe again, place in transom with fresh 5200.

Or; It lifted off?

Get a tube of construction adhesive, LePage or Bulldog PL Premium. It sticks like the proverbial sh!t to a blanket, dries rock hard in a couple days, and is cheap.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

If the inside of your transom is in good shape put the factory flair on the inside and block it tight against the motor mount, stringer, etc. then you can do all of the work from the outside with the outdrive tilted up should offer plenty of room. I tried to make my own tool and had a hard time keeping everything lined up and keeping a good straight pull even across the tube. Other wise I would prob go with one of the ones recommended by those above. It is tough to know if your homemade tool will work or not and when you have 5200 all over everything and realize it won't then your in a heck of a situation (don't ask how I know). The brass garboard drain pictured above is a nice unit, works well and not too bad to install. I went with the brass tube only after I had done both my splashwell drains with good results. It had the pvc ones in there before and I think the sun got to them cause they were junk and a big reason my transom was shot, po must not have ever looked at them. good luck...

 

[i386]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

When I re did my transome I had to replace three of the brass tubes. One was the bilge drain and the other two splashwell drains. I didn't want to buy the flairing tool either because of price and had heard they don't even work all that well. So I got creative and found a way to do it with great success and it was easy. 1 measure tube and cut 3/16" longer than transom thickness. 2 clean area well and coat inside of hole(s) with thinned epoxy let cure. 3 slather inside of hole and tube with 5200. 4 insert precut tube and block pre flaired end tight. ( use a 2x4. or shims or even a bottle jack if possible) 5 get a small/medium and a med/large ball peen hammers start with the smaller one, insert ball into tube and lightly tap to get flair started tap until ball is bottomed out. Then go to larger ball and proceed with tapping until it is bottomed out. Still using large ball work around edge until almost tight with transom then go to flat side and tap until good and tight and flat. 6 clean up all excess 5200 with damp rag and smooth around tube with finger let 5200 cure( I used the 24 hr set) and your finished. All three of mine took about twenty minutes the brass is very mallieable and is real easy to work. I put all of the factory flaired ends on the outside that way it was easy to wedge a 2x4 against the boat and my garage wall also use about a 6" piece against the tube and wedge the kicker against that. Sounds like a lot on paper but it really does go quickly with professional results. good luck.

It took a couple of reads to understand, but yes that makes sense. I too have one bilge bung and two for the spash wells. I don't own any ball peen hammers though. This definitely sounds like it would work provided your boat will allow you to hold the tube without knocking it out the back side like you said.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

I don't know if there is a
harbor freight near you but they have pretty inexpensive tools that is where I got mine. I know they aren't the top shelf of tools but they do have fiberglass handles and are plenty sufficent for what little I use ball peen hammers. They weren't expensive at all and not bad tools to have around for all types of repairs. Or if you know anyone that does auto body work maybe you could borrow for an afternoon. Also I roughed up the brass tube a bit with some 150 paper and cleaned well with acetone then slathered it real well with the 5200 I also applied 5200 to the insides of all the holes as well. If you use the 24 cure get it off your hands asap it doesn't like to come off so well and collects alot of dirt so your hands don't look so well for 2-3 days.. Send me a PM if I can answer any questions Would be happy to help if possible. I just got back from a 7 day trip to Lake Powell and when I pulled my plug not a drop came out I was soo happy

 

[jtexas]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

tough choice, let's see.......new tool.......rotten transom.......new tool......rotten transom.......nah, jus kiddin, you had me at "new tool". Seriously, though, I've bought way more expensive tools than that with less justification..........and I almost never miss a chance to economize.

 

[redfury]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

That brass bilge stopper that is secured with 3 screws...I've seen them at Wal-mart before...I thought about using that in my boat instead of putting in a new brass tube after the transom rebuild...I was thinking I'd have a problem with securing it all the way through the transom, but I'm going to use Seacast.....do I really even need to worry about a brass tube with a seacast transom, particularly if I use that anti siphoning drain plug pictured above?!

 

[wire2]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

Just an observation; My transom is rotten 3-4" around every screw that held the OMC boot on. I will be going with Seafoam but if you have a plywood core transom, try to avoid using any screws.

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

Chances are the existing tube has been compromised. I would just replace the whole thing with one of these and be done with it.

Available in the I-boats store up above.

I have to agree with this one here... I put one in for my drain plug and for the drain in my splashwell (without the plug)... doesn't let water in but will let water out (has a little 'check ball' in it). Never have to worry about it falling out in the water, easy to install and with some 5200 will be sealed tight. Not very expensive either. Very nice when you 'forget to put the plug in' as well. A LOT more breathing room!!

 

[dingbat]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

I was thinking I'd have a problem with securing it all the way through the transom, but I'm going to use Seacast.....do I really even need to worry about a brass tube with a seacast transom, particularly if I use that anti siphoning drain plug pictured above?!

The brass tubes are notorious for allowing moisture to penetrate around them. If done properly at the factory the hole should have been glassed through before installing the tube. If this wasn’t the case, it wouldn’t hurt if you glassed in a tube of the proper ID to fit the plug while you’re rebuilding the transom.

As for the holes, the method I use to mount anything on the transom is to first drill the holes a good bit over sized, then use a syringe and inject a mixture of resin and cabasol into the hole starting at the bottom and working my way out. Let it dry and then drill your normal mount hole. No more problems with moisture penetration.

 

[OhWellcraft]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

SuzukiChopper,
how did you trim out the inside of your splashwell? and how long is the tube section of the one you used. I really like the idea of using one because of the one way flow option, but I couldnt figure out a way to trim out or finish off the inside. did you leave a brass tube in there and go inside? my transom is 1 7/8" + overall and I couldn't figure a good way to finish all off down in bilge it doesn't really matter but in the splashwell Ikind of want it to look decent. post back if you see this or any one else for that matter .

 

[SuzukiChopper]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

SuzukiChopper,
how did you trim out the inside of your splashwell? and how long is the tube section of the one you used. I really like the idea of using one because of the one way flow option, but I couldnt figure out a way to trim out or finish off the inside. did you leave a brass tube in there and go inside? my transom is 1 7/8" + overall and I couldn't figure a good way to finish all off down in bilge it doesn't really matter but in the splashwell Ikind of want it to look decent. post back if you see this or any one else for that matter .

I did some pretty heavy customization on my boat when I rebuilt it and had these picked out before I built the splashwell and transom. When I made the hole for it on the inside I used a drill bit the same size as the inside of the hole of the plug base, drilled all the way through the transom and then from the outside used a bit just big enough for the base to fit snug and used a piece of tape so I knew where to stop. think I got pretty close and used some 5200 on the backside, the sides and flange of the base to seal it up nice and tight. Pretty much did the same thing for the bilge drain as well.

I was lucky enough to start with a clean slate but I would think that if you used some dowling (epoxied in) to plug up the holes you're going to insert this into and then do the same kind of drilling, you should be ok. The tube on those isn't long enough to get through even 1 1/2" which is why I did the two sized holes... the smaller hole should be coated with epoxy as well to prevent the wood from rotting in there.

Hope that makes sense and helps!

 

[redfury]

Re: Transom Drain Tube installation

Just found out why my transom was wet...the original tube was cracked ( probably from ice at some point ) and was letting water soak into the transom wood everytime it was put into the water. I guess I'll be going full out with the drain on this when I get around to that.

The only thing I wonder about is the check ball. How many problems with debris in the bilge causing drainage to cease, vs just slowed down with a full sized hole with no check ball.