Watermann,
You are exactly correct reguarding corrosion and this is indeed a concern I have. I have thought about this issue quite a bit actually. My fix may be this summer to remove the wood transom material and build an aluminum replacement from rectangular tubing. By using the tubing any rot issues would be history. I also have been looking at Coosa Board, which is good stuff but extremely expensive or making another wood transom and encapsolate it with fiberglass. All bolt holes in the wood would be made oversized and back filled with “peanut butter”, thickened resin, then drilled out to the correct size so no wood would ever be exposed to water.
Take a look at the picture I posted of the inside of the transom where it shows the backing plate for the hold down U bolt. The corrosion you post and that backing plate surface are evidence of exactly the same condition. Yes, I am concerned about this. With winter in full swing here the transom is just going to have to wait. Due to the way the welded in place transom support is made replacing the transom will require some major surgery. I have the tools and skills to cut it all out and replace it but it will not be pretty. I will try to get some pictures of this assembly posted up, all depends on the weather conditions. We have snow on the ground with more coming, snow and ice on the boat cover as well. Let the dogs out just now and snow is falling.
One of the major reasons I posted this refurbishment was that with all of my surfing I found examples of guys discovering major issues with transom and stringer rot in older fiberglass boats, of course after they laid their money down. They get their new to them boat home only to discover they been had. The same applies to aluminum boats, not as bad but still bad. From what I am hearing manufacturers are moving away from wood to composites in their boats. This does nothing of course for older boats but the new materials do give us good options for repairing.
At what point in a boat’s life is it a break even or loosing proposition to purchase a used boat knowing that repairs will be required, depends. It depends on how much it will cost, how adept the purchaser is at doing the work required or willingness to learn to do it and certainly how much time one may have to devote to such a project. Will he have help or be on his own, in my case dogs, a cat and cows are not of much help. It is forums like this where the neophyte boat builder will gain a great deal of information.
From what I have learned about pressure treated lumber and aluminum chemical reaction is a boat killer. Reactive materials and chemicals can and do create very undesirable conditions over the life of the boat. My mission here is to help not only myself but others turn the life clock back on that wonderful new to them boat.
You are exactly correct reguarding corrosion and this is indeed a concern I have. I have thought about this issue quite a bit actually. My fix may be this summer to remove the wood transom material and build an aluminum replacement from rectangular tubing. By using the tubing any rot issues would be history. I also have been looking at Coosa Board, which is good stuff but extremely expensive or making another wood transom and encapsolate it with fiberglass. All bolt holes in the wood would be made oversized and back filled with “peanut butter”, thickened resin, then drilled out to the correct size so no wood would ever be exposed to water.
Take a look at the picture I posted of the inside of the transom where it shows the backing plate for the hold down U bolt. The corrosion you post and that backing plate surface are evidence of exactly the same condition. Yes, I am concerned about this. With winter in full swing here the transom is just going to have to wait. Due to the way the welded in place transom support is made replacing the transom will require some major surgery. I have the tools and skills to cut it all out and replace it but it will not be pretty. I will try to get some pictures of this assembly posted up, all depends on the weather conditions. We have snow on the ground with more coming, snow and ice on the boat cover as well. Let the dogs out just now and snow is falling.
One of the major reasons I posted this refurbishment was that with all of my surfing I found examples of guys discovering major issues with transom and stringer rot in older fiberglass boats, of course after they laid their money down. They get their new to them boat home only to discover they been had. The same applies to aluminum boats, not as bad but still bad. From what I am hearing manufacturers are moving away from wood to composites in their boats. This does nothing of course for older boats but the new materials do give us good options for repairing.
At what point in a boat’s life is it a break even or loosing proposition to purchase a used boat knowing that repairs will be required, depends. It depends on how much it will cost, how adept the purchaser is at doing the work required or willingness to learn to do it and certainly how much time one may have to devote to such a project. Will he have help or be on his own, in my case dogs, a cat and cows are not of much help. It is forums like this where the neophyte boat builder will gain a great deal of information.
From what I have learned about pressure treated lumber and aluminum chemical reaction is a boat killer. Reactive materials and chemicals can and do create very undesirable conditions over the life of the boat. My mission here is to help not only myself but others turn the life clock back on that wonderful new to them boat.
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