Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

[JonM81]

I have a '79 VIP Bass Boat with an 80HP Mercury on it. A few weeks ago I was pulling a skiier out of the water and heard a crack behind me... Yep the transom is giving out... I searched this forum a few days ago and soaked in some info and ideas. My boat is kinda different from what I can tell... My transom is made of thin fiberglass and has a "gully" I guess I can call it in the back on top of the transom where the motor mounts... My question is this... With the thin fiberglass I am working with, can I mount 1/4" steel inside and outside of the transom and gully?? I would go **** near the outter portion of the back wall etc... If bolted on good and sealed correctly, could this work or is there an easier fix??? I got my transom saver last year, I guess Dad shoulda thought of that years ago... hehe... Any thoughts and ideas will be GREATLY appreciated... <br /><br />The Board's Newest Member & Sad Skiier,

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

The transom should be at least an inch to an inch and three quaters thick, and should be composed of plywood. If the transom is shot, you are left with no safe choice but to tear the old one out and put a new one in. You can seperate the upper deck from the lower deck, cut the old transom out, and glass in a new one, or you could hollow all the wood out and use Seacast, a pourable reinforced resin that cures solid in place of the wood. What you are proposing may work to a minimal extent, but there is a lot of force on the transom, and a bit of metal isn't going to cut it. Also, if your transom is shot, it is due to rot from moisture, and usually if the transom is rotted, the floor structure is as well, or not too far behind. You may tear into it to find what a lot of us have found: a rotted old boat. Good luck....

 

[JonM81]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

Is it normal for it to be rotted out when it is just cracked by the motor mounts? I think that is why we thought putting steel inside and out of the whole backside may work. I will check again, but the fiberglass looked pretty thin... Thanks for your help.

 

[andrewkafp]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

You can also crack a transom from stress and not securing the OB with a saver.<br />It might not be rotted, just broken from the strain. I have seen many transoms that are reinforced with S/S , Aluminium or Marine ply.<br />But you would be advised to check it's soundness for peace of mind.

 

[bhalsdorf]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

Jon,<br />As Jason said, the transomm should be an inch to an inch and a half thick. If all you have is a thin layer of fiberglass I'd say you lost your transom somwhere. In all my life I have never seen a transom made of just a thin layer of glass.

 

[RICKRICK1]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

Check out the folks at transomrepair.com.<br />Alot easiera nd will not rot ever again.

 

[JonM81]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

Well I looked at the transom again, and it maybe about an inch thick afterall. Definately no thicker. With the sea cast, do I just carve the insides of the transom out or do I need to completely tear it out? Thank your everyone for your help.

 

[Bear]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

check these:<br /> http://www.razorbackboats.com/razorback5.htm <br /> http://www.razorbackboats.com/razorback21.htm <br /><br />...or all these pages.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

Is the cracks you see near the motor just thin hairline cracks, or are they big cracks with a visible space? Usually, when a transom starts to go soft, the lever action of the motor can cause hairline cracks called Crazing, which is just the gelcoat cracked, but the fiberglass itself is fine. When fiberglass does crack, it isn't clean, it is rough and hairy looking. You may just be dealing with some crazing. Too bad we couldn't see a pic or two.<br /><br />One other thing, I though my transom was in good shape, no flex or any of that, but when I tore into it, it was soaked, rotting, and had Carpenter Ants living in it. I also improved the basic design when I rebuilt it. The wood was an inch thick, and there was a 3/8th piece of ply to fill between splashwell and transom wood. I went ahead and just made the entire transom 1 3/8 inch thick with 3/4 ply, a layer of glass and resin, and a layer of 5/8 ply, screwed together with stainless screws every six inches. That thing is strong as an ox now.

 

[JonM81]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

Yeah, its thin cracks by the motor mounts and in the well above the transom it looks like getlcoat cracks... The cracks in the transom are only visable inside, not from the outside... I heard it crack when pulling a skiier up out of the water and then all I saw was the interior crack when we got in that day. The transom has been rocky since I've had it in my possesion. I will try to get some photos for yall. I am taking it in tomarrow to have it professionally done. Thanks for all your help.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

and how much weight r u adding to the stern when<br />you put this "patch" on???<br />push hard on the motor and look for any flexing.<br />how much did this skier weigh? newbie or exp.?<br />BIG diff. btw. a transom that is "starting" to <br />weaken than one rotted and fallin off.<br />up to you which one you have...<br />good luck,<br />M.Y.

 

[JonM81]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

AAAHHHHHH!!! I talked to several transom repair places today and did not get good news... They say its not worth fixing at all... It would cost anywhere from 1200-2000 dollars to fix. I know I am not crafty enough to do this myself. I am thinking about going with the stainless steel plates on the inside and outside of the transom and splashwell. One guy said it would do ok for a year or two. Thats all the time I need to get outta college and buy a new boat. Anyone have any additional info or better ways to go about this??? I'm in a situation where I dunno what to do about this boat... I can not sell it as it is, I couldnt get 500 for it as it is... My options are numbered. Thanks everyone for your help the past week...

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Cracked Transon - Idea Legit??

Its fixable, anything is fixable. The shops are telling you its not worth having them fix it because you would never make that money back trying to sell it. Also, for whatever reason, shops now-a-days seem to think that money from someone who owns an old boat isn't worth as much as money from a boat owner who owns a new boat. I havn't quite figured that one out, I would think they would want to make money but instead turn away business. Why should they give two rips what happens to the boat and owner once they get the money. As long as someone is willing to spend the cash, these people should step up and allow these people to spend the cash, whether it is worth it or not. I don't know, most shops where I am at could care less about the age or value of the boat, they'll do the work. Maybe I should open my own shop.....<br /><br />All that being said, you could fix that transom yourself, it is not difficult, it is just a bunch of dirty mindless labor mixed with just a hint of skill. Ou could do the work and be out on the water for fairly cheap, as long as you don't have other rot issues.