I want to seal transon with splash board

[IH8JEEP]

I have a 18' sailfish center console self bailer with a very low transon I want to seal the back of the boat between the rod holders in front of motor and put my plugs in the scuppers. Water comes in scuppers and back of boat. What should I use to build this. I would perfer to use something like (u.h.m.w.,large white thick cutting board,thick plastic,etc.). Last resort will be marine plywood painted. I do not want this removable any ideas how to mount without drilling(sealer,glue,chaulk,marine addhevise)??
I will move fire ex.,and those wires laying there.

 

[paw2000]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

I had the same problem on my 21ft bayliner trophy cuddy, water was so close to the top of the transom, waves would splash over and get our feet wet. It would drain out, but not as fast as it came in. Goto a decent hardware store that has aluminum channel. buy 4ft and cut in half. mount on either side of opening and fasten to the vertical portion of the inside of the opening. Then cut a nice piece of material that fits in the grooves. This will allow you to tilt the motor up and when running the boat keep water out. If you can find the fiberglass openings (lack of correct term) they use for basement windows, you can glue one of them in, and that would be more permeant, it would curve into the boat more, but you wouldn't have to remove it.

I mounted a splash board and put a pump near the motor, when a decent wave comes over, its about 10-15gals of water, little scuppers can't drain fast enough.

 

[Reel Kahuna]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

Go to TAP's Plastic and buy Starboard material which is similar to a white chopping board but is has UV protection.

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

Go to TAP's Plastic and buy Starboard material which is similar to a white chopping board but is has UV protection.

Thanks Reel Kahuna
That starboard looks like what I want. Now I will look for it local in south central Pa

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

I had the same problem on my 21ft bayliner trophy cuddy, water was so close to the top of the transom, waves would splash over and get our feet wet. It would drain out, but not as fast as it came in. Goto a decent hardware store that has aluminum channel. buy 4ft and cut in half. mount on either side of opening and fasten to the vertical portion of the inside of the opening. Then cut a nice piece of material that fits in the grooves. This will allow you to tilt the motor up and when running the boat keep water out. If you can find the fiberglass openings (lack of correct term) they use for basement windows, you can glue one of them in, and that would be more permeant, it would curve into the boat more, but you wouldn't have to remove it.

I mounted a splash board and put a pump near the motor, when a decent wave comes over, its about 10-15gals of water, little scuppers can't drain fast enough.

Thanks paw2000 but I can still tilt my motor if I use a flat piece. I want a water tight seal so it needs to be stiff and permanet.

 

[dingbat]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

A tight water seal isn't going to happen unless you glass the transom shut and use a bracket.

On my Grady, the "splash" plate is on the outside of the motor well and folds down so I can tilt the motor completely up. I've never had an issue with water in the splash well or on deck.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

If I were you I'd copy the grady design. Go look around the marina at other boats to see how they are rigged.
I would not put a permanent bulkhead in. For one thing, with those wires across the deck, it won't be water tight (consider running them under the deck anyway). You want to have the option of quickly evacuating water--suppose you stuff the bow. With a removable hatch, just lift it out and keep running!
Obviously you should not seal your scuppers. Put flaps on them to help reduce the water intrusion. unfortuneately some boats are made with too close a tolerance and will flood the rear deck with just one person standing there, but flaps help. Do not rely on pumps; your boat is designed to drain out, not through the bilge.
That hatch you have is a major weak spot for water getting in the bilge--another reason to have an immediate drain.
Finally, your boat will last longer if the rain water (and sea water) drains out the deck scuppers instead of through the bilge. The great thing about boats like that is you don't need to cover them or fret about them being outdoors--that's what they're made for. As designed, you don't have the rot problems endemic on the closed hull sofa boats.

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

If I were you I'd copy the grady design. Go look around the marina at other boats to see how they are rigged.
I would not put a permanent bulkhead in. For one thing, with those wires across the deck, it won't be water tight (consider running them under the deck anyway). You want to have the option of quickly evacuating water--suppose you stuff the bow. With a removable hatch, just lift it out and keep running!
Obviously you should not seal your scuppers. Put flaps on them to help reduce the water intrusion. unfortuneately some boats are made with too close a tolerance and will flood the rear deck with just one person standing there, but flaps help. Do not rely on pumps; your boat is designed to drain out, not through the bilge.
That hatch you have is a major weak spot for water getting in the bilge--another reason to have an immediate drain.
Finally, your boat will last longer if the rain water (and sea water) drains out the deck scuppers instead of through the bilge. The great thing about boats like that is you don't need to cover them or fret about them being outdoors--that's what they're made for. As designed, you don't have the rot problems endemic on the closed hull sofa boats.

The wires I commented on a earler post will be run under deck. They are just there till I do my complete rewire. Even with the sealed transon my boat will still drain out of the 2 scuppers(see little black thing corner boat) when I pull the plugs out (10 second jop if I don't have a beer in my hand lol). I do have a bilge under that "water tight" hatch that only runs if water gets down there some how. I'm still going to use the scuppers but want them plugged when I'm fishing or stopped or backing up/into water. I don't want 50 degree water in the boat. If it starts to rain or water gets rough I pull plugs and head for shore I don't do bad weather. I don't fish offshore in this boat. I fish fresh rivers & maryland chesapeke bay. After I seal the transon I might put a hatch in it like you see on the floor now. I will have opening towards the back and at the botton. If I go offshore I pull plugs for the scuppers open hatch door at transom and any water that comes over bow that the scuppers can't handle will go out swinging open hatch door that is unlocked. My boat came with plugs for the scuppers like the main plug in transon. I do leave my scuppers open on the trailer at home and under way in ruffer water. I only plug them now when stopped or calm water.

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

A tight water seal isn't going to happen unless you glass the transom shut and use a bracket.

On my Grady, the "splash" plate is on the outside of the motor well and folds down so I can tilt the motor completely up. I've never had an issue with water in the splash well or on deck.

What do you mean??? I want to seal mine where you have that removeable plate. If I put board across the back of MY boat in front of motor and seal it with chaulk or adhesive why do you think it wouldn't hold splash water. This is not a Grady. This is a 18 'sailfish very,very close to the old seacraft boats so when you say you don't get water on your deck great. My boat has very little free board at the transon to begin with plus 325lb motor,100lb kicker,2 250lb men,baitwell in corner 20lb,and 65 gallons of fuel. All of this helps to let water pull at back of boat like so many other self bailers I heard on this site do. Yes when stopped I have water splashing past motor into boat getting floor wet.

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

Here is the very same boat,model,year,and even motor size. I want to add something like this only stronger,more water tight, and do it myself(I only charge a beer or two an hour-LOL)

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=404596

 

[dingbat]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

What do you mean??? I want to seal mine where you have that removeable plate. If I put board across the back of MY boat in front of motor and seal it with chaulk or adhesive why do you think it wouldn't hold splash water.

You want to build a sealed box that will hold @ 3-4 cubic feet of water @ #62.5 per cubic ft. Can you afford another #250 of water "stuck" on the transom if you take one over the back?

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

You want to build a sealed box that will hold @ 3-4 cubic feet of water @ #62.5 per cubic ft. Can you afford another #250 of water "stuck" on the transom if you take one over the back?

I have to say again what do you mean??? What sealed box?? How would 3-4 cubic feet of water come over the back of boat normally. That would be higher than my motor. Look at pictures on post # 6 http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=404596 any water that does come in the back would run back out OF holes under motor clamp or back over transom. I want to stop the water going past small lip in floor in front of motor. This boat was made to bail quickly if a huge amount of water would ever come over bow and scuppers can't keep up OUT AT SEA WHERE YOU WON'T FIND ME.

 

[dingbat]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

I have to say again what do you mean??? What sealed box?? How would 3-4 cubic feet of water come over the back of boat normally. That would be higher than my motor. Look at pictures on post # 6 http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=404596 any water that does come in the back would run back out OF holes under motor clamp or back over transom. I want to stop the water going past small lip in floor in front of motor. This boat was made to bail quickly if a huge amount of water would ever come over bow and scuppers can't keep up OUT AT SEA WHERE YOU WON'T FIND ME.

Humm....the sump looks to be @ 28" wide x @ 16" deep and the transom wall @ 8" tall = 2.3 cubic feet - #150 of water

I've seen 6-8' tall rougue waves come out of nowhere on a perfectly flat day, ON THE BAY. I've seen the waters go from a 1' chop to you can't stand up in a matter of minutes when the tide changed, ON THE BAY. I've had a windshield collapse when we took one over the bow while trying to out run a thunderstorm, ON THE BAY. I've had my deck completey awash more times than I care to think, ON THE BAY. I've had my splash guard knocked down by water coming over the transom in a following sea more than a couple of times, ON THE BAY.

Your take 250-300 gallons over the bow or have a following sea break on the transom, those teeny tiny holes are not going to go squat and your going to wish that dammed up water had someplace bigger to go.

You do what you want to do. I'm just passing on 30 years of experiance boating the same waters you are.

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

Humm....the sump looks to be @ 28" wide x @ 16" deep and the transom wall @ 8" tall = 2.3 cubic feet - #150 of water

I've seen 6-8' tall rougue waves come out of nowhere on a perfectly flat day, ON THE BAY. I've seen the waters go from a 1' chop to you can't stand up in a matter of minutes when the tide changed, ON THE BAY. I've had a windshield collapse when we took one over the bow while trying to out run a thunderstorm, ON THE BAY. I've had my deck completey awash more times than I care to think, ON THE BAY. I've had my splash guard knocked down by water coming over the transom in a following sea more than a couple of times, ON THE BAY.

Your take 250-300 gallons over the bow or have a following sea break on the transom, those teeny tiny holes are not going to go squat and your going to wish that dammed up water had someplace bigger to go.

You do what you want to do. I'm just passing on 30 years of experiance boating the same waters you are.

The 2.3 c feet of water and the 150lbs of water would be were? In the back of boat where you stand or that small area were the motor cables lay. I don't know the name. Is that called the splash well.
Because that area only holds about 3 to 4 gal of water maybe and will not change if I seal in front of motor.
Wow!! If I EVER have any of these things happen to me at the BAY Bridge out from sandy point in Md I'm done boating there. You'ld think all those little v bottom alu. boats they rent there the state should know better then to let them on the BAY. Just in case I got into a storm or wanted to go offshore I will install a hatch like the one on the floor to open my transom back up. Rough seas open hatch water should drain quickly thu say a 20" by 12"rear ward facing hatch opening. Calm days lock hatch install scupper plugs every bodies feet nice and dry as we put..put around fishing

I got this here. Same thinking I have. you know what they say about opinions
http://www.yachtsurvey.com/sinking.htm

"Open Transoms or boats with no transoms have been appearing on the market with more frequency lately, and many of these are just accidents waiting to happen. A boat without a transom cannot reasonably be called seaworthy unless the internal compartments of the hull are made absolutely watertight. This is almost never the case because the builders never put absolutely watertight hatches in the decks.

They make a mistake by ignoring the probability that at some point in time the vessel will encounter circumstances where waves are crashing over the nonexistent transom, flooding the deck, and thereby endangering the vessel and its passengers. Builders of such boats don't have the foresight (which they should have) to consider what would happen if such a boat lost power while navigating a dangerous inlet, or breaks down while at sea. Under these circumstances, the lack of a transom becomes very dangerous. Even large sport fishermen with large, open cockpit scuppers or non-sealing transom doors have gotten into trouble under such conditions. If you are the owner of such a boat, you had better think carefully how you use it"

Start of thread
I have a 18' sailfish center console self bailer with a very low transon I want to seal the back of the boat between the rod holders in front of motor and put my plugs in the scuppers. Water comes in scuppers and back of boat. What should I use to build this. I would perfer to use something like (u.h.m.w.,large white thick cutting board,thick plastic,etc.). Last resort will be marine plywood painted. I do not want this removable any ideas how to mount without drilling(sealer,glue,chaulk,marine addhevise)??
I will move fire ex.,and those wires laying there.


This is my question from start of thread.What should I use to build this? I would perfer to use something like (u.h.m.w.,large white thick cutting board,thick plastic,etc.). Last resort will be marine plywood painted. I do not want this removable any ideas how to mount without drilling(sealer,glue,chaulk,marine addhevise)??
That is my only question??
Not safety
Not bay stories
Not running offshore
Not somebodys boat build opinions.
I know what I want to do. I just need to know what to use,where to get it,and any ideas what type of sealer to use.

Done

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

If I asked, "I want to use my bilge as a gas tank; how should I seal the garboard plug?" I would expect people to comment on my plan to have gasoline sloshing around in my bilge, and not just say, "duct tape."

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

If I asked, "I want to use my bilge as a gas tank; how should I seal the garboard plug?" I would expect people to comment on my plan to have gasoline sloshing around in my bilge, and not just say, "duct tape."

.....huh...what??

 

[paw2000]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

Here is a picture of my Bayliner, now this is a low transom, I can stand on the back and no water comes in, the black board is the splash board to keep the water from getting to far. The splash well has a compartment with a screw type access port. Water fills up the area in the splash well but does drain out. If we drift fish and the boat is at an angle to waves from the wind, waves will come over the edge. I put a pump with a float, to "assist" draining the well faster

 

[NYBo]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

Wow, Paw. I can hardly believe the boat left the factory that way.

Are you sure someone didn't modify it?

 

[IH8JEEP]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

What NYBO said WOW!!
Paw2000 that is a low and wide opening. I lost power this year po had rigged some wires so I had no elec. I got real close to calling for help or a recover/rescue. While trying to fix the wires in back scuppers were letting in water plus water was splashing over rear of transom. Deck was filling with water so was the lower bilge area with all the small openings(wires into transom,old "water tight hatch",under console floor wiring) . All this could have been avoided by even a little 6" sealed plate on my boat just like were your black board is. This guy nailed what happens to these boats if they lose power. http://www.yachtsurvey.com/sinking.htm I'm gonna seal mine complety and probably install a very good sealing rear facing hatch to open in rough water or a couple large round sealing ports. Heck I'm afraid of losing my little dogs out the back under power right now. Looks like if you ever lost power you could swamp in anything but glass water. Good luck & thanks for the post

 

[paw2000]

Re: I want to seal transon with splash board

Thats the way the boat came from the factory, the next model year it was completely fiberglass around the motor well, the same height as the sides. If the bay is calm, the boat is fun and safe, but the Delaware Bay is never calm. The boat handles the waves over the transom, just scary, also important to have all drain plugs in. I have a built in cooler/fishbox, that drains into the bilge, well I left the drain for it out so ice could melt, the waves that got past splash board drained into the cooler and into the bilge. The boat seemed heavy, so I stood in the back to check something, the transom went right under. Luckily I had working pumps and got it drained, thats when I realized the cooler plug was out.

I just upgraded this last summer to the Chris Craft 315, so in a few weeks when it gets warmer, the old bayliner will get cleaned and painted (bottom) and set at the curb for sale. Its a good boat for rivers, lakes and back bays, 1-3 waves ok 2-4 and it gets dicey. Other then the low transom, its a dry riding boat, plenty of fishing space. I'm just hoping to recover the cost of the new hydraulic steering I put last spring.

looks good cleaned up