Quick transom "repair"?

[ashedd]

So I have this 20' fiberglass Olympic I bought to keep me busy on the water while I work on my wood boat. I completely expected this Olympic to have plenty of issues. My plan is to use it until my other boat is finished(who knows when at this point..) then sell it off, it's a type that is popular in the PNW. I pulled the transom cap off and saw that the transom is wet and has some rot from what I can see. Drilled two holes down the transom that produced black "wood", seemed like regular brown wood at the bottom. The transom doesn't have any cracks and doesn't sag from what I can tell. It's got a big 175 black max hanging off it..

I have NO plans to dig out rotten wood and replace the plywood blah blah blah. BUT I do wonder if there would be ANY benefit in drilling more vertical holes and filling them with as much CPES as they'll take? I even thought about pushing threaded rods down those holes as well. At the very least I'm going to reseal all the through hull fittings I can. If I was going to take it easy on the lake I would put the cap back on and forget about it, but I plan on trips to the puget sound and I don't want to worry too much about the transom. I'm convinced the motors not going to just snap off without warning, I would see massive cracks and flexing/sagging first. The Olympic seems like a pretty strong design from what I can see.

 

[ondarvr]

CPES is worthless for any kind of repair like this.

The wood won't dry out any time soon, wood can be wet and still hold up for a while though, but rotten wood isn't going to cut it. Only you can see what it actually looks like and the degree of rot. Motors do fall off, and you don't get much warning.

 

[ashedd]

Transom plate?

 

[jbcurt00]

If you have NO plans to 'repair' it so its safe and then plan to sell it off, you'll be hard pressed to find much help in how to proceed.

You know what is necessary, but dont intend to repair it correctly. Intending to sell a boat w a bandaid plate or shody temp fix of the transom of any kind isnt going to encourage help either.

Proceed how you see fit but those that hang out around the dry dock do place an extremely high priority on safety, both during a rebuild and while boating.

 

[Ned L]

Different question here, ............... What is your "wood boat" and what are you doing to her??? Curiosity has me, ..... not many other people here messing with wood boats, I'm one of them.

 

[ashedd]

If you have NO plans to 'repair' it so its safe and then plan to sell it off, you'll be hard pressed to find much help in how to proceed.

You know what is necessary, but dont intend to repair it correctly. Intending to sell a boat w a bandaid plate or shody temp fix of the transom of any kind isnt going to encourage help either.

Proceed how you see fit but those that hang out around the dry dock do place an extremely high priority on safety, both during a rebuild and while boating.

oh geez... thanks for the reply but I would never try to pass something off as something it's not. It is what it is and if someone wants it fine, as they say "the motor and trailer are worth that much.." I think one would have to be brain dead to buy a boat boat from 1978 in rough to fair shape and not expect the transom to be iffy.

 

[ashedd]

Different question here, ............... What is your "wood boat" and what are you doing to her??? Curiosity has me, ..... not many other people here messing with wood boats, I'm one of them.

18' Thompson Sea Coaster. I've been sistering some frames and will be putting the floors back in soon. My major problem are the depressions made from sitting on a roller trailer for years, I'm going to stick it in the water for a couple weeks and see if they've pushed themselves out any. I'll likely be fairing them out in the end. I'd also like to consider ways to add a hard top to it. One thing I like about wood boats is I can see/touch every part of the hull. The transom is as solid as the day it was made in 1968.

 

[Woodonglass]

I'm NOT a Big Water Boater. Never have been, and probably never will be. Having said that...It seems to me the opportunity for encountering Heavy Wakes & Waves is a LOTmore likely on the kind of water you'll be navigating than on the inland lakes that I navigate. I HAVE seen Transoms completely fail and Motors totally ripped off by Big Wakes and Waves causing boats to sink. All because the owner either didn't KNOW or was pushing the envelope on a wet and rotting transom. Even on inland bodies of water this can be a very Bad Scene depending on your location, but...on Large Bodies of water it seems to me this could be Extremely Life Threatening. As our Moderator has stated, I'm pretty sure there won't be too much interest by our members in lending any advice on "Stop Gap" transom repair Measures. It's either Sea Worthy or it isn't. If it's NOT, then do the repair correctly and render the boat "Sea Worthy" Again, Or Retire Her!!!

I'm a Land Locked Dumb Old Okie, and that's my opinion. It's worth every penny you paid!!!

 

[Ned L]

18' Thompson Sea Coaster. I've been sistering some frames and will be putting the floors back in soon. My major problem are the depressions made from sitting on a roller trailer for years, I'm going to stick it in the water for a couple weeks and see if they've pushed themselves out any. I'll likely be fairing them out in the end. I'd also like to consider ways to add a hard top to it. One thing I like about wood boats is I can see/touch every part of the hull. The transom is as solid as the day it was made in 1968.

Nice boat! Be sure to enjoy the work on her as much as enjoying using her on the water.

 

[ashedd]

Nice boat! Be sure to enjoy the work on her as much as enjoying using her on the water.

Thanks. That's why I got an old glass boat so I don't need to rush the Thompson to get it in the water.

 

[Ned L]

About your Thompson, .... It really will be easier to work the hogged areas (depressions) out before you put the sisters into her. Once the sisters are in things will most likely pretty much stay where they are.

 

[harleyman1975]

Wood boats Never go on a roller trailer. Bunk only. Wood boats are strong but they flex and move a teeny tiny bit (that's why they ride so nice) they need the support that a bunk trailer offers.