How to dry out transom

[G DANE]

I bought a boat, which was delivered as a new hull 6 yrs ago, two previos owners worked on it to finish it. The first owner drilled a drain hole in motorwell ( it is for outboard ) without sealing at all. The rainwater har wetted the plywood inside the transom, i dont know how much. I tried to vacuum, and set the plywood under press, and got some water out. I put a heaterfan in the boat for a couple of days, and it dried some out too. I made a little plastictent over motorwell so it wont be more wet. The plywod is firstclass rottreated marinegrade, i dont think it is rotten, it doesnt collaps when i put pliers on. But how will i get it compeltely dry befor i seal off ? Will drilling the holes to motorbracketbolts help ?

 

[SCO]

Re: How to dry out transom

What a heartbreak story. I've dealt with cored decks before and think some of those procedures might apply here FYI. You could make or find some kind of right angle chisel to remove as much of the wet wood as you can without enlarging the holes in the fiberglass. You might be able to get in there with a dremmel type grinder and remove a lot of wood. You may find a wet /dry margin. Later fill w epoxy and redrill. It makes a good seal anyway. I would go to Home Depot with that in mind and find a tool or rotary bit for the job. Good luck.

 

[Pursuit2150]

Re: How to dry out transom

Had a simmilar problem 2 yrs ago, the transom was fill with water. we drilled holes down at the top of the transom very deep, about 8", then we drilled holes into the aft of the transom, Not as deep as the thickness, about 3/16 dia. We then let the water drip,tryed to blow some of the water out with an air compressor. Poured in "GIT-ROT, which forced the rest of the water our. Used the 2nd stage of git-rot, put some epoxy on some dowel rods, tapped them in, and resealed the holes with marine-tex. If you were to see the finished project, you can not see there was a repair done. The final is a sound transom.

 

[SCO]

Re: How to dry out transom

So you pressed it and squeezed water out? Sounds like more water than I was thinking for my reply.

 

[Hooty]

Re: How to dry out transom

Just thinking out loud but I wonder if you could plug one side of the hole in the transom and then pull a real serious vacuum on the other side and pull the water out.Whadaya think??<br /><br />C/6<br /><br />Hooty

 

[chumbucket]

Re: How to dry out transom

2150 what type boat was that you did drying out on

 

[DJ]

Re: How to dry out transom

G DANE,<br /><br />How much time do you have? If you have some, working on other parts, etc. My suggestion would be to drill a small hole, say 1/4" at the lowest point of the wood. Drill another on the top of the transom, to let air in. Tilt up the boat and let it drain for as long as the drain hole shows dampness. I did this with the foam core hulls on two Whalers and it worked fine.<br /><br />I do not know how much rot you have, but it sounds like the GIT ROT product might be a good idea. You'll have best results if you let it dry out COMPLETELY.

 

[Pursuit2150]

Re: How to dry out transom

Chumbucket-The boat was a Coastal-250,Wellcraft.<br /><br />The larger the holes the better,more air,more drainage.We let it drain for a week. The git-rot will push the water out.<br />The water got in due to a piece of junk aluminum cap which was transom cap/cover.

 

[G DANE]

Re: How to dry out transom

Everybody thanks for your replies !<br /><br />I already did the vacuum trick you suggested Hooty, with a big 2 motor vacuum monster - it pulled a little bit out - 1/2 teaspoon, but good idea. The wood is not wet at the bottum and it does not drip out. Now the plywood just looks damp at the edge, but it has been damp for 2 weeks now. Djohns 19: I am not in that kind of hurry, i am glassing in reinforcements in the bottum now, there vere only 1 reinforcement, i got an advise from a boatbuilder and I now made 6 sets under the floor. I know that is much, but better safe than sorry ! I am also working on a motor for my other boat which will be for sale, when the weather is too cold outside to glassfiber work. The reason that i could squeze water out with plates on each side and pliers ( right word ? ) is that the glassfiber does not bind very good to the sides of the oiltreated plywood, and some water ran down the plywood on the outside. I tried the plywood with a thin screwdriver, but cant feel any rot. I will mark and drill the holes for the motor now, it will let more air in. Id like to get it totally dry before i clouse it off or it will stay in there forever. Can i download boltpatterns, or do i have to lift motor on and mark ?

 

[G DANE]

Re: How to dry out transom

Djohns19<br /><br />Where do i get hold og GIT ROT ? It is not knows here in DK.

 

[G DANE]

Re: How to dry out transom

SCO<br /><br />I did search on Wet Transom first. Now i did a search on all your answers. The only i found interesting is about outofbizbiz, the Glastron Boat mentioned. It is just like mine. I could get to the inner transom, if i vere child and crept below rearseat and behind in the boat. ( This type is also sold with I/O motor ). Seperating top/buttom would have saved me from cutting up the deck, which was made from solid fiberglass, with some fiberplate reinforcement - but done now !

 

[jamesmcjim]

Re: How to dry out transom

mate the vacume idea sounds good to me.<br /> you would have to get a vacume pump like they use for air condection and hook up to hole some how maybe screw a fitting in .<br />water boils at very low temp when under low vacume turns to steam and is sucked out .<br /> may take a while.<br /> you can make up pump out of old fridge motorpump.<br /> yours jim

 

[oldboat1]

Re: How to dry out transom

I've done some transom work on old runabouts. What is needed depends on the condition of the wood -- sounds as if you don't have a lot of deterioration. GitRot is thinned epoxy, and you might be better off getting a product like West System epoxy. If you heat the epoxy slightly, you will thin it -- adding something to thin it will weaken bonding.

 

[crab bait]

Re: How to dry out transom

yes,, heated epoxy will thin out epoxy but it's a " catch 22 ".. the heated epoxy is now thinner to pennaturate deeper but it will set-up faster since it's heated ,,so it won't pennaturate any deeper.

 

[oldboat1]

Re: How to dry out transom

Crab Bait raises an interesting point. I've found in practice, though, that when soaking wood, heated (make that warmed) epoxy doesn't seem to set up any faster than unheated. I would guess it penetrates about as deeply as GitRot, and ounce for ounce, it's probably quite a bit cheaper. But I've had success with GitRot too. It does the job -- good for small jobs.

 

[outonbizniz]

Re: How to dry out transom

G DANE<br /><br />I would only suggest seperating the hull and deck if your transom is completely rotten. Most of mine came out like mulch. However, If you are going to have to replace it I highly suggest Seacast. You just can't beat it if you NEVER want to worry about transom rot again.

 

[outonbizniz]

Re: How to dry out transom

G DANE<br /><br />I would only suggest seperating the hull and deck if your transom is completely rotten. Most of mine came out like mulch. However, If you are going to have to replace it I highly suggest Seacast. You just can't beat it if you NEVER want to worry about transom rot again.

 

[Franki]

Re: How to dry out transom

Hi, this is an old thread I am replying to, but I figured it can't hurt..<br /><br />I am thinking of seacast for my transom,,, how much did you need?? I have a narrow transom, its on a 17foot half cabin.<br />the transom is about 1.5 inchs thick. (obviously) and the transom is only 55 inches wide. (its for a long shaft so its all 20 odd inches high..<br /><br />anyone know if one tub of seacast would do the job???<br /><br />regards<br /><br />Frank