Ranger boat transom

[odus1965]

I Bought a 79 Ranger 178v boat from a moron in Ohio {I may be the real moron for buying it} aside from the title issues I am facing ,I need some advice from anyone with experiance with this type of boat. The floor in this boat seems solid, I am 6' 240# and I can walk on it with no signs of any soft spots. The transom seems solid, no signs of cracks, or seperation. i am not real concerned with the hull and floors, but how do you know the transom is good without cutting it apart? I considered reinforcing it with marine plywood on the inside and an aluminum plate on the outside bolting and fiberglassing it all together. It has a 85 HP Merc on it, I am sure it will put plenty of stress on the transom. I have never had or even been in this type of boat, my other boats are aluminum 14 foot semiV hulls, they drift like mad in even light wind and I an tired of fighting it.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Ranger boat transom

Welcome to iBoats.
Raise the motor to it's maximum height. Stand on the leg of the motor and Bounce on it aggressively. Have a friend check the transom and see if it flexes. If it flexes even just a little bit, You have issues. Your suggestions for Beefing it up are "BandAids" and MIGHT get you through a season, but also, MIGHT put you and your passengers, if any, in extreme jeopardy. It's your boat and your call. Here on iBoats we're all about Safety first so if it has flex, we'd recommend doing a full and proper replacement.

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

Thanks for the tip. i will try it and see happens, my friend will be my wife and she is at work right now. The reinforcing the transom was just going to be insurance, if there is a problem I will adress it one way or another. Thanks again I will post the results tommorow. Thanks again

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Ranger boat transom

As I understand Ohio's boat regs (I am not in, nor have I tried to register a boat in Ohio), title & registration problems can be difficult to resolve in Ohio. Make sure you handle the trailer while dealing w/ the boat too

If you can get the title stuff handled, then proceed w/ any necessary repairs. This can ruin a Sunday trip to the lake everytime:

And when this boat ^^ was given a once over, the transom was deemed 100%, just weeks before this pix was taken & posted by another iboater.....

Hopefully, the title stuff won't be too difficult & will be resolved soon so you can get to any needed demo & on to put back...

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

I ran the engine all the way up, it has power trim so it only goes so far, I bounced up and down on it doing nothing but lifting the trailer tonque off the ground. I put a Jackstand under the rear of the trailer and tried it again and I see no flex or movement on the transom. Every thing in this boat seems to be solid despite the fact that it was mess, wiring strung all over and bare ends, junk kitchen carpet very sloppily glued all over, top part painted with a spray can, But I had it running despite the fact the bottom carb was full of crap. i have fixed all the wiring, Rebuilt the carbs and fuel pump, and replaced the water pump and lower end seals. I also repaired wiring on the engine and replaced the trigger plate, the wiring on it was beyond repair.. The power trim works after I wired it up. I see these projects and see what it COULD be.
I have brought cars home in boxes and baskets and restored them from frame up, i have also built cars from scratch. I also have built many engines of all kinds from sprint car motors to model airplane engines, so doing the work is not an issue. I gave this guy $800 for this thing and brought it 100 miles home. Trailer is decent with new tires, I can make a boat out of it I was just concered about checking the transom, I didnt want to cut it apart and then find out it wasnt
bad. I may cut a inch or so hole in the top of the transom area just for piece of mind, but the real heck of it is almost all the lakes I fish are electric motor only, or no wake. I fish on one with a 20 mph speed limit, but thats about it. I wanted a bigger boat, but cant afford to spend $30,000 on a boat. I am gratefull for any advice or help, Does anyone think $800 was to much for this thing? The title thing is not a real big deal for me, I live in Indiana, I have some friends in law enforcement who can lend me a hand with the papers nessesary to get a title.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Ranger boat transom

Don't cut a hole in the top of the transom, if you want to check it drill close to the bottom on the inside of the boat and check the shavings for color and moisture. Dark and moist is bad, light and dry is good. Fill your test hole with 3M 5200 to seal them if the wood is good.

Any water that gets into the transom will drain down and the bottom of the transom will rot first as a rule.

If you feel you got a good deal, it was a good deal. A used boat is only worth as much as the highest bidder is willing to pay.

If the trailer is good, the boat is solid, and the motor runs... I say you got a good deal for $800.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Ranger boat transom

If you bounced on her like you say and there was no flex at all then I'd say she's good to go, especially since it sounds like you'll never really be doing any major wake jumping. I'm with JNG, I think it's a Really Good Deal!!!

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

yes, your right the rot would start at the bottom first. I will try that, making a small hole on the inside and give it a closer inspection. I have a 16 foot sylvan semi v hull, a 1976 model. It is the worst drifting thing I have ever set in, I am thinking of selling it to a cruise line for a life boat, you could be out in the middle of the ocean with no land in site and I promise you within 5 minutes you will run aground. These big heavy fiberglass boats dont drift that bad do they?
I am asking because I have never set in one on the water. This boat is over 17 feet long and is a tri hull. I also need the room, I bring alot of fishing gear with me. Thanks for any advice.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Ranger boat transom

LMAO! at fighting the drift while fishing out of an aluminum boat!:laugh:

I have a 17' aluminum deep V that'll drift from gnat wings flying around the boat on a completely still day. I quit trying to fight the drift a long time ago and made it part of my presentation instead, much easier and a lot less aggravating... and I catch some nice fish too!

All boats are going to drift to a certain degree depending on wind and current, but a heavier boat with a lower profile will drift less than a taller lighter one.

 

[bdbuster]

Re: Ranger boat transom

I bought a similar boat this past year and love it. Mine is also a 1979 Ranger and has a 115 Mercury hanging on the back, it'll run 55+ mph on a calm day and handles the big water (tidal Potomac River) pretty well. I'm not so fortunate though, getting ready to pop the top and do a full restoration here in a couple weeks. I've already started a thread if you want to follow along to see what will happen if you have to tear into yours. Happy fishing my friend.

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

well, to quote Prof Farnsworth on Futurama, bad news everyone. Despite the transom showing no flex, even after a 100 mile trip home on rough roads, the drilling a hole in the bottom part of the transom to inspect the wood shaving proved otherwise. I have the motor ready to pull, I will bring the engine hoist home from work tommorow and get it off, and make some kind of a rolling cart to keep it on.
I have to make good use of every part of the garage, I have my current boat, this Ranger boat, my truck, my wifes car, and our Studebaker to keep inside. I wont put the engine back on untill all the rest of this project is done, paint carpet ect, after the transom. Odd thing is all the deck stringers and deck are solid, like I said I weigh 240, and the deck dos not give at all, and I can get to lots of the stringers and I can hit them with a hammer and they are solid.

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

I am planning on just cutting the top of the transom off and building a new wood insert and installing it. How about using Seacast or nidacast to fill in around the new wood? would that glue the wood to the fiberglass? with the way this transoms made, without cutting thru the rear acsess hole for the fuel tank, batterys ect its going to be tough to clamp. Any thoughts?

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Ranger boat transom

Copied from elsewhere:
I started with three 8 foot 2x4's that where free of knots which is very important, and a 2 foot long 2x8 I would prefer to use a 2X12 but a 2x8 is what I had laying around. This is a list of the 2x4 lengths I needed

2) 39inch 2x4's notched out for a 2x8 or 2x12
2) 28inch 2x4's for the base
2) 24inch 2x4's
1) 21inch 2x4
1) 24inch 2x8 or 2x12
2) 25inch 2x4s cut with a 45degree angle on each end
I started by assembling the 39inch uprights with the notch to the 28inch base 2x4's using glue and 3inch screws. Upright being 18inches from the end of the base 2x4, making sure the upright is square to the base using a framing square. I used PL 400 constuction glue to glue every thing together, I only used PL because thats what I had laying around the important thing is that some sort of wood glue is used. I then assembled the 2x8 to the uprights with glue and screws. Next the 24inch 2x4's where attached inbetween the base 2x4's at each end using glue and screws. Then the 25inch 2x4's with the 45degree cut, where installed to brace the upright to the base. Last of all I screwed three inch locking casters to the bottom of the base for easy mobility. This type of stand is very strong, I have built stands long enough to hang two and three large motors like this one. I hope this helps someone.

Or 1 from iboats:
Building your own outboard motor stand

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

I like it. simple and puts the wieght over the center of the fixture. Hope you dont mind if I copy it! Also like the pic of your buddy. I have 2 dogs of my own, my Shepard mix I have had since she was 7 weeks old, she turned 14 in june. shes had kidney stones, she has been on meds for siezures for most of her life , she had a stroke in July, and was sick in Sept and nearly died, but she is back again and still takes walks, barks ,and rides in the truck despite being blind! My other dog is a mix of some kind some SOB dumped her in our area about 3 years ago, it took me 6 weeks to get her to come to me but after that shes been our short little buddy,I would not take any amount of money for either one of them. Dogs are the best people in the world.

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Ranger boat transom

I like it. simple and puts the wieght over the center of the fixture. Hope you dont mind if I copy it! Also like the pic of your buddy. I have 2 dogs of my own............... Dogs are the best people in the world.

Neither stand is my design nor did I originally post them, they are both by others......

Thanks, Majic is greatly missed, the big galoot

We still have 3: Willie 12y, Deke 11y and they both moved to WV from Las Vegas, and the puppy: Bonnie 11mo

I wish I could be even 1/2 the terrifically fantastic person my dogs think I am....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Ranger boat transom

well, to quote Prof Farnsworth on Futurama, bad news everyone. Despite the transom showing no flex, even after a 100 mile trip home on rough roads, the drilling a hole in the bottom part of the transom to inspect the wood shaving proved otherwise.

Just like the transom test, drilling the deck and stringers may indicate that they really aren't as solid as you might think they are. The floatation foam that mainly supports your deck will make it hard to tell if the decking is really solid or just resting on solid floatation foam.

After you remove the carpet you can check the deck.

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

I went out in the garage, took my angle drill and drilled 2 holes, one in each side of the LOWEST stringers on the boat, the 2 that run the length of the tunnel at the very bottom of the boat that the plumbing for the livewells run. I drilled about 3 inches forward of the transom but about 3 inches up, its very close to the outside of the hull there and if anyone could screw up and drill thru the hull it would be me. The wood shavings look like new wood. Dry and very light color. Hope thats a good sign, I could use one. Any opinions?

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Ranger boat transom

Sounds like the stringers are GOOD!... and the decking may be good as well.

You just never know about a used boat until you check, and it's better to check now than it is to get all of your cosmetic work done and then find out you should've checked before fixing her up.

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

Oh yeah, I agree 110%. I was concerned with it being safe above all, Its usually my wife and I out, and while life is priceless, my fishing gear is worth cash, lots of it, if the boat went down with my gear on board, even if we were safe, I would lose thousands in gear.
not to mention a disaster I dont want to deal with, I have enough of those. I really hate fiberglass, I will itch for months. But I can make a good boat out of this.

 

[odus1965]

Re: Ranger boat transom

I am going to replace the stringers in this boat also, any one have an opinion on using some type of hardwood in this area? I live 1/2 mile from a hard wood sawmill, and would be no issue to get it.