Small amount of rot in a BAD spot

[PatinIdaho]

Noticed the motor mount on the port side had some cracking around it and the rear bolt was about 1/2 way out. Lightly tapping it, it just went back in but every thing else seemed solid. The mount is sunk about 1/8th inch.
Got it home and did some exploratory drilling and sure enough it is rot. Starboard side is good wood. Dry light in color drill shavings.
The rot is about 3ish inches on each side of the mount and down bout the same then turns to good wood. The bolts are fairly clean and i can't really figure out why it rotted and not the other side or anything else down in there.
So now i need to fix it properly. I know i need to get all the rot out. Its a pretty tight fit down in there and i don't wanna remove the engine.
Im thinking i can get it all out if i support the engine and remove the mount. Then i can cut the top off the stringer, Dig out all the rot between the fiberglass sides.
So far so good i think.
Then maybe drill some holes around the dug out area into the good wood maybe a inch with a 1/2inch drill so i can fill it all with seacast type stuff.
Then reseal it all back up to water proof it.
Would this work?

 

[DeepBlue2010]

I don't see how your plan is going to work. The place is very tight and you need to be glassing from both sides of the mount. IMHO, there is no way you can do this repair right without taking the engine out. You also need to check the stringers and the transom and see if there is any rot there

 

[Woodonglass]

Is there any way to cut away the rotted portion an "Sister In" a new section?

 

[PatinIdaho]

Is there any way to cut away the rotted portion an "Sister In" a new section?

I believe i could. I have probably 12inch in front and 12inch back of the motor mount. Maybe 8inches between motor and mount side and at least 2 feet on the outboard side.
Can't get a better pic with the exhaust manifold in the way.

I seem to be getting some grief over this from others. Seems to be the opinion is gut it and a total rebuild.
I have drilled a bunch of small holes in the usual spots. Stringers around engine, Best i could around lower transom. All that came out was clean dry shavings.
Did not bother with going forward of there as it all feels solid when i hit it with my fist and i feel no soft spots.

 

[MTboatguy]

I seem to be getting some grief over this from others. Seems to be the opinion is gut it and a total rebuild.

I don't know that it is grief per say, it is just a lot of guys have a lot of experience in fixing boats, it is difficult to "spot fix" a boat that has rotten areas in it, so the majority choose to gut it, then do it over so they know it is right. I have my own thoughts on how this could be repaired temp, then I would tear it down and pull the engine during the off season to do it correctly. Of course I would be worried if there is rot there, then where else does it have rot.

 

[PatinIdaho]

Well sorry it just seems that way.
Anyway onward.
Im sure there is rot in other places but everyplace i checked there was none except on 2 other pieces of plywood on the left and right side of the engine that i will replace this winter.
The framing under them is solid but dark wood. It is hard to see with out taking it all apart and im using a mirror and flashlight to see what im able to.
There is still a couple months left to boat and i wanna boat! not spend it R&R a engine and stringers.
This winter i will remove the rotten plywood, The dark wood structure under it and if i then need to go further i will.
So i suppose a temp fix would be ok for a few months but yeah long term is the goal!

 

[PatinIdaho]

No Title

Oh Also the bolt is clean. I would think it would show some reason but nope!

 

[MTboatguy]

How much access do you have in this area to try and scab something in there?

 

[jbcurt00]

That looks to be the new bolt put in because the other one rusted, exposed to the moist wood, IMO.

It appears perfect. It definitely shouldnt.

Again, until you get a solid mountable location for the motor mount, I wouldnt run the engine. The engine connection w the outdrive is possibly out of alignment.

 

[PatinIdaho]

How much access do you have in this area to try and scab something in there?

Read post #4
I was wrong though. On the outboard side there is about a foot clearance.

jb. I would agree with you but i did take a bolt out of the other side that has no rot and the bolts are the same as i was thinking the same thing you are.
I TRULY believe the guy i bought it from had no idea until i pointed it out. So i doubt he put new ones in.
The starboard side if fine. Clean wood and the bolts tighten down like there supposed to and are the same.

Don't worry im not going to run it. No need to at the moment. I want to get the bellows kit and check alignment before running it at the lake.

The oil filter is close to that area and im wondering if the factory over tightened them to the point of almost being stripped out. When you change the oil filter i can imagine someone spilling some oil over the stringer and collecting around the mount and seeping in before being cleaned up. I dunno. just a idea

 

[sphelps]

Do not use seacast unless you take ALL the wood out .. You could call them and see if there's a way to do a partial pour but I doubt it ..
Hopefully you can gain enough access to sister a piece in there just to get you back on the water ..

 

[PatinIdaho]

Seacast was a example. How would you sister a piece in?

 

[MTboatguy]

If I was to do it, I would go one of two ways to do a temp job on it, either I would put a steel C channel over it with a cut out to get access to a bolt and tighten the engine mount to that after I secured the C channel far enough back to get a bite in good wood, Cut out the small section that is rotted out then used lag bolts to secure the C channel to good wood on either side of the bad section. 2nd, you can cut the bad section out, then cut a plug to fit it and marry another piece of wood on the outside of the stringer and secure to the good sections of the stringer after you secure the plug to the band aid board. If I was to do the wood plug method I would throw some glass over it, then bolt the motor back down for the rest of the season.

 

[sphelps]

Maybe you can get better pics of the area . Back up the camera so everyone can see what you have to work with ..
I think either one of Mtb's plans would work ...

 

[Woodonglass]

IMHO there is absolutely Nothing wrong with sistering in good wood in places as long as you are certain the rest of the wood is sound. From your description, I'd say you've done due diligence and your solution is sound. I wouldn't worry bout the NAY sayers and I'd follow your GUT!!!:joyous: One of our best restoration gurus, Andgott, did a "Sistering" job on an entire Stringer job on one of his boats and got a lot of praise for doing so!!!

Is the motor mount across the front of the motor or down the side?

 

[PatinIdaho]

No Title

Thanks Wood and every one else trying to help!:hail:
The stringer mounts run front to back.

First the pics are the Port(bad) side. The other 2 are Starboard and gives you a better idea of how the port side is built as its mirrored.

Yeah my first thought was a piece of channel also but the way it is made i think makes it nearly impossible.
The rot is nearly to the front of the raised mount piece and about 2 inches behind the steel engine mount. I believe it goes down about 4 inches but im standing on my head using a 90deg drill so its only a pretty good guess.

So my only option is to cut it out and get some good wood in there i believe.
Once a remove the Exhaust Manifold , alt and motor mount it looks like there is enough room to work. Tight buy workable.