Ski Eye Repair

[7777777]

So this weekend in my 97 larson I pulled the ski eye out. I knew when I bought the boat I was going to have to do some repairs, I was hoping to get through the summer!!! I know this winter I'm going to have to have the transom repalced so I was hoping someone could give me advice on an easy ski eye repair to get through the summer. I had one of the air head tow harness but I don't think the boat pulls as well with it. Any adivce? Thanks!

 

[tallcanadian]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

Perhaps an oversized washer made from metal. However, I'd be a bit leary to use it if it was pulled out by a towable. Imagine the twist and bend from an outboard motor. Good luck.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

Uhmm if the Ski Eye pulled out, I would be worried that the boat is quickly becoming unsafe for anything except cruising for this season. I would not be pulling anything with her. Is this an I/O or an outboard? How big of a motor?

 

[7777777]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

It is an i/o 5.7 Volvo, It was pulled out by a towable but it wasn't a normal towable. It is a radar galaxy

There were four people on it and they were towards the front which when I took off sucked in to much water and thats when it happened. This towable has 33 sq feet of riding surface and then quite a bit that isn't considered rideable.

I did have the boat checked out by a guy that has done hull and glass repair for 35 years before I bought it last month and he said she was good to go. He did say there was a soft spot in the floor that will need to be replaced in a year or so. My plan was to get through the summer and go ahead and have that done with a couple of other things. So at this point I still feel like she is good and would like to get through this summer with her then have him do all that and fix the ski eye properly.

Thanks...

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

I understand your frustration and desire to finish the season. However, that towable should not have caused the eye to fail. If the transom has that much rot in it at that high of a level up on the transom then IMHO you could have more serious issues. Boats rot from the bottom up. You have stated the floor has soft spots. This indicates that the stringer substructure could be compromised as well, which is another serious issue. If the transom is rotted down low then the outdrive could be compromised too! You should have the boat and outdrive Re-Checked to ensure there is no flex in the transom especially in respect to the outdrive. If you can stand on the outdrive and jump up and down on it and push it side to side with NO flex in the transom then you MIGHT be able to get the rest of the season. You should also use a rubber mallet and tap on the transom listening for any sound variations in the solidity of the transom. Are you running the bilge pump at all? Any leaking going on?? Not trying to bust your chops, just trying to put safety first.

 

[7777777]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

I understand the safety and no chop busting!!!!! Especially since I'm a hard head!!! I will shake rattle and roll it when I get home and let you know but I did check it pretty good with a guy that does that for a living and like I said and he thought I was good. I don't totally understand the boat construction but the ski eye to me doesn't look like its part of the transom. It seems to be a lot higher above the ski deck and to be honest I'm not positive that I had all the slack pulled out of the rope when I started (yes I know how dumb that is). It did have a couple of cracks in the fiberglass that I asked the guy I got the boat from and he said that they had been there for years. I do have the bilge and no I do not see a lot of water in the compartment at all. I was on the lake all day and only ran it twice and there wasn't much in there. Thanks for the response and keep it coming!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

If you could post some pics of what the rear of the boat looks like and where the eyes are located it could go a long way in helping us (me) to help you with diagnosing the issues. You very well could be correct in that the eye could be in the cap of the boat and not at all a part of the transom. If this is the case it could be a fairly simple and inexpensive fix. You can use a free photobucket account to post pics by using the IMG Code when you hover over the uploaded pic.

 

[7777777]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

 

[7777777]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

I'm 250 and stood and jumped and couldn't get the outdrive to move.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

Yep, That's NOT your transom!!! Can you get to the back side of that area? If so... Id grind the broken glass as best I could wash it down with acetone and lay 2 layers of CSM and two layers of 1708 over the area. I'd then get an aluminum backer plate to put back there. I'd then grind the fractured glass on the out side and dish it out and then lay in layers of CSM and 1708 to build it back flush. Might now worry about making it stand out like it did. You could use chrome or stainless washers on the outside to attached the eye back on and I'd say you'd be back in business. I would make sure the aluminum backer was at least 1/4" thick and a foot to 16" long. You could use 3/4" plywood too and glass it to the cap it you have access to the area.

If you don't have access from the inside you can still fix it, Won't be as easy but doable. Might not be as "Pretty" but will be functional.

 

[7777777]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

I can get behind it. When you say grind out do you mean cut the bad stuff out (make the hole bigger), get back to where there are no cracks? I'm knew so what is csm and 1706? Thanks... Like I said I just want to patch and make it through the summer then I will have it done correct and prettier... Will the csm and 1706 be strong? Do you happen to have a video link that I might be able to watch? THANKS!!!!

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

CSM is Chopped Strand Mat. A type of Fiberglass material. 1708 Is a fiberglass cloth consisting of biaxial woven cloth fibers with added CSM stitched to the back side of the cloth. VERY STRONG stuff. You use it with Polyester resin to fix cracked and broken glass like yours. This repair is a bit complicated and no vids that I know of. Basically cut a hole, place the backer plate in place and screw it or adhere it in place. Drill the holes for the EYE then use the materials I gave and re glass the hole. Paint or Gelcoat to make it blend in. YOu can make it look almost new yourself. Pay a shop $1,000 bucks to make it look new.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

As we say in the boat industry .. go big or go small ..

If you want that Eye to hold more then its intended purpose..then you have to beef it up or let them bolts rip out of there like they did.

You can semi-beef it up .. and then next time this happens you have 4 holes in your deck like now. Or you can Really Structurally put that puppy in there where you can lift up the back end up or pull a tug boat. However if that thing pulls through its gonna rip out everything thats beefed up with it.

Your call for your use .. I would listen to your glassman and tell him everything like he is your lawyer..

YD.

 

[BoatDrinksQ5]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

So lets say if you were concerned about a boat - and you had easy access to the area. It wouldn't be a bad idea to add a little strand/epoxy to the back side for a little more beef? I suppose if you didn't pull of back nuts it wouldn't be quite as effective (but then again some day you could just endup with two clean pullout holes haha instead of a tear/shatter)

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

So lets say if you were concerned about a boat - and you had easy access to the area. It wouldn't be a bad idea to add a little strand/epoxy to the back side for a little more beef? I suppose if you didn't pull of back nuts it wouldn't be quite as effective (but then again some day you could just endup with two clean pullout holes haha instead of a tear/shatter)

I am just saying sometimes its better to let things go rather than rip out a few bolt holes along with a 4x10 plate that just ripped off a 8x24 part of your boat deck cleat.

I cant say if its a good or bad idea to add/subtract to the Build of the boat unless it is inspected and evaluated for the nature of the extra build up at that location.

Sometimes yes its a good idea..sometimes I would recommend NO fender washers or backing plates .. it just depends.

YD.

 

[7777777]

Re: Ski Eye Repair

Thanks for the help. I braced it from back and ran it all day without any trouble. Just hope I can get through the season and then will do it right...