# Do I have a rotten transom?



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

I just got a 90' model year Pro Craft Bass boat Stalker 170, 17ft equipped with a Mercury Mariner 115, also a 90' model.



My question is about the transom. 



There are four bolts holding the motor to the transom. The top two bolts are solid as a rock and aren't rotted or moving at all.. But..



the bottom two look like someone tightened them up, crushed the glass and just sank into the transom, causing water to get in and rot the wood. I dont know how to check if the entire transom is rotted, but I tapped all over with a hammer and the only soft "mushy" sound was just about 1/2 in around the lower bolt holes.. the rest of the transom seems to be very solid. 



I need some advice on how to do this the poor mans way and still make it last. My first idea: To get make an aluminum bracket that spans across the hull, relatively larger than it needs to be to give the proper support. about 18x8x8 maybe 1/4 inch aluminum..



then id drill holes in the bracket, mount the bolts in it to give a sturdy backing.. 



I'll add some pictures when I get home from work..



Any help is greatly appreciated..





is that going to ruin my boat? or can it be done??



:doh:doh


----------



## ShaneLane (Aug 3, 2008)

The only draw back to just putting a metal mounting plate over it, is it will just keep getting worse day after day. the moisture that is in the wood will stay and just slowly make it get worse i would do the safe thing and just get it repaired correctly. Just my 2 cents also might get better info when ya get pics up


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Unfortunately you have to fix the problem not put a bandaid on it. The problem is moisture and rot. It must be dealt with. The motor will have to be lifted and the rotten wood cut out and replaced and the transom reglassed and gelcoated or painted.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

Ive been working on boats for a few years now.. is this something I can do at home??... i want to fix it right, but im so broke... is there any way to dry it and then seal it up ?



it feels really solid except for the 2 spots where the nuts sank through the transom...  im thinkin I got ripped off


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

You can actually drill it out and fill in with gunk, that is marine type bondo, but you have to make sure to get out all the moisture.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

any suggestions on how to get the moisture out the best.... I've got it sitting in my garage right now planning this out.. Not a drop of rain has hit it since i've owned and i dont plan on letting any get in from now until I know i've got it fixed good..





Is there a chemical or something I can use to draw the moisture out.. and when you say drill out the holes.. you mean to drill out the rotten parts as best i can?


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Yes, You need to remove the rotten, water soaked wood and replace with wood or gunk. Sorry I know of no chemicals that removes water from wood and doesn't leave films so the repair won't work.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

I found this stuff..



http://www.boatersworld.com/product...oat;ciepoxy-fiberglass;ciresin-filler-gelcoat



do i drill out the hole and dig the rotten wood out that way? drill out from the inside? im not sure how i go about getting it out..





this doesn't involve taking the motor off does it



I think I will have to drill holes in the transom to let the moisture out, and use this GIT ROT to fill them back up..





how do I drill the holes.. at an angle or, just so they are in the wood..


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

It is better to drill from the othside so you don't star the gelcoat when you punch thru. Then just masking tape the hole on the outside and fill the hole entirely from the inside and masking tape off and let it cure.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

So i drill all the way through the transom ?


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Absolutely, when you are done you will sand a little concaved indention an each side and add a thin layer of glass to seal the deal.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

I wonder what would be the best way for me to make sure the rotten wood in my transom is completely dry.. 



1st i have, drilling holes.. .. using a heat lamp / fan combo.. but after i seal it i' wont know if there is still a little moisture inside.. and GIT Rot doesn't adhere the moist rotted wood..



here are some photos i snapped off last night...



http://www.dropshots.com/zoom.html?...shots.com/photos/618833/20090504/b_235621.jpg



http://www.dropshots.com/zoom.html?...shots.com/photos/618833/20090504/b_235534.jpg


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

here are a few pics after i discovered my entire transom is pretty much rotted and soaked....



sad day for me.. but hopefully ill learn something out of this, I just have no clue where to start..



Im not sure my GIT-rot with help this problem...



http://www.dropshots.com/zoom.html?...shots.com/photos/618833/20090505/b_011104.jpg



http://www.dropshots.com/zoom.html?...shots.com/photos/618833/20090505/b_011114.jpg



http://www.dropshots.com/zoom.html?...shots.com/photos/618833/20090505/b_011125.jpg



http://www.dropshots.com/zoom.html?...shots.com/photos/618833/20090505/b_011150.jpg


----------



## MULLET HUNTER (Oct 3, 2007)

cut the inside of the transom out and backfill with fiberglass and resin unitll solid...


----------



## sniper (Oct 3, 2007)

I don't agree with the fill with fiberglass thing AT ALL. There are way to many things wrong with that to even start.

Check with rotdoctor.com for some products.

If you decide it is too much to try to tackle yourself get ahold of 'getsome' on here and ask him who he used. A guy gave him an awsome deal if he did all the prep work etc. Good luck.


----------



## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

Why not use a 2" hole saw?" If you still have wet wood, use a 3" hole saw. You can cut larger holes by putting the core you cut out on the center bit of the larger hole saw. When you get to good, dry wood, drill angled holes into it for the resin slurry to grab onto. Add a 3/16" plate both inside and outside the transom that goes well past the cutout/repair and you ought to be good to go. 

With a heavy duty backing plate and fender washers, you should have a strong transom. You definitely want the bolts tight and well sealed with 5200 compound.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

If you look closely you can see where I drilled a few small holes down toward the bottom of the transom, when i did i ran into complete mushy water soaked wood..



now if I could only get the wood to DRY, I can try using the GIT Rot ive ordered..

how would I go bout using the hole saw? woul di just penetrate the inside layer of glass to let the rotten wood dry, so that it will soak up the GIT rot resin ??



i cringe at the thought of putting anymore holes all the way through my transom


----------



## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

If the wood is wet all the way down, then my suggestion would be to replace all of the wood in the transom.

My fishing partner and I did his bass boat years ago, and it worked out fine. Does your boat have a second floor ? That is significant when considering the amount of work involved to complete the work. 

I would also consider asking on the PFF to see if anyone here does it, or knows someone that does.


----------



## ShaneLane (Aug 3, 2008)

JUST A LITTLE EASIER


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

any ideas on how much this is gonna cost me .... ?


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

> *Patman (5/5/2009)*If the wood is wet all the way down, then my suggestion would be to replace all of the wood in the transom.
> 
> My fishing partner and I did his bass boat years ago, and it worked out fine. Does your boat have a second floor ? That is significant when considering the amount of work involved to complete the work.
> 
> I would also consider asking on the PFF to see if anyone here does it, or knows someone that does.






Ok.. I have more pictures if anyone is willing to give me a quote on this transom job..



thanks


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

You are talking a fairly big job to replace the entire transom. I did it on my buddies 14' bass boat and it turned out beautiful. But it is nasty miserable work.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

I love working on my boat.. and If its nasty and miserable, I kinda enjoy that work too!:clap



but.. I just dont wanna do it wrong, ive never layed glass before, or done anything like this.. is there some kind of DIY guide? or someone who will do it cheaper and maybe take a bit longer. .? i dont have much money but I do want to get my boat fixed right... 



and I would love to do it myself.. but I just moved here from Arkansas, and I basically only have a set of sockets, wrenches, and pliers.. all my wood working tools are back home in AR....



Anyone know of a guy who can do the job good and fairly cheap ? I will do all the prep work..


----------



## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

You won't need wood working tools. Let me check with a buddy of mine and see what he says.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)




----------



## fromthedepths (Nov 21, 2008)

go on classicmako.com or any other boat forum and there is tons of information on rebuilding transoms and just about anything else you want.look in the project section of their forum, that's where i learn a lot of stuff from on their forum.tons of knowledge on just that site alone!good luck


----------



## FishAddict (Feb 2, 2009)

That water coming out of those holes is not good. I bought a boat 30 yrs ago that had a rotten transom,I did the work with another guy that helped me who had done one before. We took everything off the back of the boat so we could get into it and removed all of the wood and glassed in some new marine plywood. We put someadded stabilization where the transom joins the side. We may not have done it by the book, but when I sold it 5 yrs later, it was still solid as a rock. If I remember correctly it took a couple of weekends. It can be done, you just need to find the right person to help you.Man that guy coulddrink some beer.


----------



## spiderjohn (Feb 3, 2008)

Google Classic SeaCraft. There are quite a few projects shown step by step where transoms were removed and replaced. Evidently the old SeaCraft boats were prone to transom rot due to age and way they sit in the water at the stern. Might help with some tips at least.


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

Thanks guys.. I really appreciate all the great advice and help..


----------



## Razorback124 (Apr 28, 2009)

Just wanted to give an update.. I took the boat to Bill Weldon in Destin.. He replaced the wood in the transom, and re-glassed it up good.. 



Bill is one of the coolest dudes I've met so far.. he was very reasonable on the price, and he's an all around good guy and does excellent repairs..



I will recommend to anyone that needs work done on their boat.





Bill Weldon

850.865.4593


----------

