Repairing large gap in fiberglass hull

[khoonie]

Recently I discovered a large gap running along the top of the transom area of my fiberglass boat. The gap had been concealed by a plastic trim cap. Once I removed the cap, the gap was obvious as it ran along the entire top of the transom backsplash area. The gap ranged anywhere from 1/2 inch to over an inch wide and the water was able to flow through it directly into the boat. This area is frequently submerged in rough water. I am including photos of the gap. The first photo shows the overall View of the transom area at the back of the boat with the red circles indicating the largest gaps. The second photo shows a close-up of the gap. I would appreciate any advice on how to repair this. Thanks.

 

[Woodonglass]

UHMMM...Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but...Your entire transom is TOAST!!! If you continue to run it with the outboard, there's a better than 50-50 chance that the transom will break and the motor AND the boat would end up at the bottom of the lake. This boat show you what can happen...

You need to do a total transom replacement. There is NO other way to fix it

 

[khoonie]

So you can tell by looking at the photos that the wood reinforced transom is totally rotted out? I have no idea who I could find to repair such a thing. Do you have any idea what that type of repair would cost? I just spent 400 dollars replacing the lower unit. I don't know if I want to throw any more money into this hole in the water...

 

[briangcc]

Sorry to tag on the bad news but...boats rot from the bottom up, not the top down. So if your transom is cracked up at the top, chances are very good the stringers and the floor are mulch as well.

IF this is a boat you like and performs all the functions you want you have a couple choices:

1. Pay someone large sums of money to have all the aforementioned structure replaced correctly.
2. Read up on WOG's thread on Fabricating Decks, Stringers and Transoms (2nd item in his signature) and prepare yourself for some really dusty work.


IF you go route #2, post up here and there will be plenty of guidance of how to demo and reconstruct your boat. There will also be any number of folk that climb on board to cheer you on when you hit that inevitable low when you slice through the hull for the first time. This has happened on almost every restore thread and all of them have managed to correct the issue once the structure is in place. And once you finish you know your boat will last several years as it was repaired to your specifications.


Good luck!

 

[khoonie]

Yes, you are right - the plywood is rotted - I can dig into it with a screwdriver easily. It's a wonder my whole family isn't dead - we took it out on a very large lake last week - if it had sunk in the middle, the water was rough and it was cold and we would probably have all died. I am going to take it out one more time though. I'm going to get two 5-gallon cans of gas and go out in the middle of the lake, pour the gas all over it, set a candle, jump overboard with my life preserver and swim to shore. Adios, P O S.
Thanks for saving our lives, Woodonglass.

 

[briangcc]

Well that's one option. Or toss it up on Craigslist as a project and list what all needs to be done so the potential buyer knows exactly what they are getting into. You may recoup some of your engine costs in the process.

This is a Bayliner correct? Force engine? Guessing so based off the blue over white with blue stripe.

 

[khoonie]

Yes a much wiser and less dramatic one. No Doubt. I was just a bit concerned that I was not aware of the extent of the damage, which was extremely serious to be where we were, least of all in water at all. Just kidding about the burning, of course.

 

[khoonie]

Yes, 1988 Bayliner, 125 Force Engine, apparently it is blessed with survivability. It will probably outlive me.

 

[briangcc]

They're nice boats. Only reason I don't own my '99 is that my cousins were both expecting at the same time so I needed a bigger boat to accommodate them all as I was pressed into "Brian, we need a boat ride NOW" duty. Put their kiddos to sleep so to keep the parents happy I upgraded.

​I still miss mine, although it looked like a large vanilla ice cream cone. It really needed graphics to set it off.

​You're ahead of the curve right now. MOST people who end up in resto threads are in complete denial as to how bad their boat is. IF you want to do it, you are in the right spot for support. And if you cruise craigslist you'll see any number of boats that have "just a soft spot on the floor, simple fix" or owners who won't even disclose any problems so you could ultimately spend more money and be in the same position you are with your Bayliner. Ultimately the decision is yours of course as to how you proceed.

​**I actually like the earlier Bayliners as they were rather futuristic with their window designs.

​Have any more pics you'd like to share?

 

[Scott Danforth]

If you torch it, they will find it, and fine you large sums of money for the EPA hazzard, scuttling the boat and public endangerment.

If you want to restore it, we can help. If you part it out, you may be able to recoup your $, however it would take a while

 

[khoonie]

I was venting on the burn/scuttle thing. Wouldn't do it, just fantasizing, I guess. What really got me was when I discovered the trim cap had been removed by a previous owner (not necessarily the one I bought it from) and the gap/crack covered with silicone and the trim cap replaced (mismatched screws). This person must have been aware of the severity of the issue, but apparently purposely concealed it. I tried to keep the boat in the dry at all times and never let it collect water while it wa's on dry land. I may not have given it TLC, but I took care of it and improved it over all, as far as utility is concerned. It just blows my mind that someone could live with doing that. Thanks to all the input and positive support. I need to do some thinking on this one. But, you forum folks are the best. I appreciate you.

 

[khoonie]

No Title

It is what it is.

 

[khoonie]

Music to sink by...
http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/johnprine/thebottomlesslake.html

 

[briangcc]

Thanks for sharing. You don't see too many of the Bayliner bass boats come up.

Other than the rotten structure it looks to be in relatively good shape, including the trailer. I'd wager a little buffing and some wax will make that gel coat pop like new again.

Just listing some pros to keeping and repairing it. Take it for what its worth...

 

[Scott Danforth]

So fire up the tools of destruction and start a resto thread

 

[khoonie]

I have decided that this boat should be restored. I will hold onto it until I decide whether I will be the one to restore it or until I find someone who is commited to restore it. If I decide to take it on, I will start a restore thread. Or, at least, a preliminary "what am I getting into" thread... Thanks again for all the positive feedback. I suppose this thread could be closed, unless someone cares to comment furthur.

 

[kcassells]

C'mon man get to it. Glad to see you have come back from the dark side. I love this saying...Not sure who says it.."Denial ain't just a river."
Or is it De Nile? anyway lots of people to help out and get thru this.

 

[briangcc]

It'll certainly be cheaper if you take on the work yourself as you'll be paying for their markup on labor and materials should you decide to pay someone else to do it.

You're definitely in the right place as there are much more knowledgeable people than I that can guide you through the process.

 

[Woodonglass]

Mark Twain i given credit for having said it Denial ain't just a River in Egypt!! BUT....http://quoteinvestigator.com/2012/05/11/denial-not-river/

 

[kcassells]

Quite a history to that phrase, thanks!