Transome/bilge drain plug???

[Boilermaker]

I had the transome rebuilt on my 1971 fiberglass WestWind this past summer. When the shop redrilled the transome/bilge drain hole, he drilled it to high. He drilled from the outboard side and wound up about 1.25 inches off the bottom. Now the bilge always has some water in it. Should I leave it alone, or re-drill???<br /> What would be the best bet>>>I was thinking of using a Dremel tool with a sanding drum to grind the wood out and then filling the spaces left with marine-tex. What would be the best bet for removing the brass tube there now?? Just grind it out>>or try & knock it out with a deep socket? I already have a replacement tube . The transome is 3" of ply/glass.<br /><br />Any & all help/advise is welcome.<br />Thanks

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

If at all possible, take it back to the boatyard and tell them their re-design just isn’t working out for you and you need them to fix it. They can do it pretty quickly and I image they want you to be happy with their service. That said, the way to fix it is:<br /><br />1-remove brass anyway you can.<br />2-remove some core material (wood) from between the two fiberglass sides. A Dremel with one of those burred tungsten tips works like a charm for this. you want to create a cave that is bigger inside than the hole going thru. You need the Epoxy to adhere to the fiberglass all the way around the drill hole INSIDE the transom. This creates the seal to protect the wood.<br />3-fill with the hole with epoxy mixed with appropriate fiber and filler.<br />4-sand and repeat step 2 as needed. It will probably take a few applications. You do not want to allow an air bubble inside the core.<br />5-somewhere in the 12-24 hr range the epoxy will be ready for the initial sanding. Hit it then! If you wait for it to cure completely before sanding, you have 10-times the work.<br />6-when you are satisfied the hole is filled, cured and sanded to beauty, take the boat back to the boatyard and ask them to drill again, 2-inches higher.

 

[Boilermaker]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

Do I really need to completly fill the old hole before re-doing the drain??? I understand your advise to completly seal the wood, but couldn't I grind/drill out the area needed for the new location of the plug tube(lower in the bilgewell). Install the new brass tube, and back fill the hole with Marine-Tex? (I hear that stuff is solid as a rock when cured.)>>><br />The present hole is in the original spot on the outboard side of the transome, but when he drilled it, he drilled it from the outside, in. So I guess he didn't want to chance going thru the bottom of the hull, and he aimed high. (now I need to LOWER it)<br /><br />I don't think there is any stress on this area, so it shouldn't be that critical, right??? OR is it that critical????<br />If I need to fill completly, would Marine-Tex be a good choise??? And what should I use to seal the tube with?? 3M-5200?? Poly Sulfied Marine Caulking??? Poly Urathane Caulking??? Silicone??? Epoxie???<br />Again >>THANKS

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

The drain hole SHOULD be about an inch or so ABOVE the bottom inside because the area removed invites a stress-crack if you hit any little object. If you look as a side view, that spot is like a piece of angle-iron.<br />IMO, the hole was drilled correctly.<br />Throw a spongue in the bilge area when your done each trip, and let it soak the water up, ring it out, replace, and so on..... <br /><br />Edit......If the brass tube was put in at an angle, I see your point, as you said the hole was correct in placement OUTSIDE, not inside, so I assume the angle is your concern. I appologize, as I misread your post. I do believe, however, most drains will be above the hull inside an amount that will leave some strength to the outside corner created at the transom/hull point.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

If it was me, I would leave it. The plug on my boat is about an inch above the bottom (on the inside). If I ever get water in it, the sponge trick work quite well. Of course, when I am using the boat, it is in the water all season, and in the garage during off season. If it is a matter of water collecting in the bilge while the boat is trailered, the boat should be covered anyway, not left in the elements where it will eventually rot. A good boat cover will solve that pesky water in bilge problem.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

If the drain hole was originally thru the transom at the floor, you can put it back there. We are talking about a 1-1/4 in. hole, right? Just be sure you can get the plug in/out of there.<br /><br />Drain plug placement is one of the things I look for in a boat. For me: the small boat has an all-glass drain hole at the floor. The medium boat has 2 glass/brass drain holes IN the floor, immediately at the transom. The big boat has 4 all-glass drain holes at the floor.<br /><br />Marine-Tex is designed to do the repair you want to do. It is a 2-part epoxy with filler/fibers. It should seal the new brass tube in place, too. The repair is permanent.<br /><br />Your best bet is still to take your boat back to the folks that did the work, if at all possible, and have them fix it. They should not charge you anything for the repair. The labor and materials involved is very minimal for them. People that work on boats depend on their reputation. The boating community tends to be pretty tight, as word-of-mouth goes. Extremely tight on the commercial boating end.<br /><br />I suggested you raise the drain hole another 2-inches higher so that your boat can double as a live-well/sneaker wash system.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

Oops! I forgot to mention, Marine-Tex likes to be mixed EXACTLY as specified. If you decide to use it, you can buy a pkg (perhaps 5-oz can?) and dump everything into the included mixing cup and go for it! Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[Boilermaker]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

Thanks for the advise.<br />As for the SIZE and number of drain holes, I am wondering if your talking about "SCUPPERS"?? I am talking about the drain plug tube in the bottom of my runabout>>>at the bottom of the transome >>>way below the waterline, and it is aprox 1 inch in diameter (I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, it has the rubber& brass snapplug. <br />Originally the inside end was at the very bottom of the bilgewell>>>now its about 1 1/4" above that>>>so even when I have the boat out of the water and the front jacked way up>>>I can't drain it all.<br /> As for the shop that did the repairs>>>it is an autobodyshop that specializes in fiberglass repairs & they do boats also>>>but its NOT their primary income>>>The guy is pretty knowledgable, but I don't think he is to worried about this, and won't redo it without a charge.<br />>>>Most shops that I have delt with here in the LONG ISLAND, NY area act like they are doing you a favor parting you with your money>>>don't even get me started on the subject of the local Johnson dealer that has done my "tuneup & carb rebuild">>> the shop was a total ripoff!!!

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

Yep! Brass-lined holes with big wine bottle stoppers in ‘em. A season hardly goes by where you don’t get to see at least one boat causing a boat launch traffic jam, have just launched without putting the plugs in first. It is soooo much more entertaining when the person holding the dock line finally figures out “hey! something is wrong and I know what it is!!!” and plugs are in the glove box of the truck that just pulled away to go park the trailer… <br /><br />The 18-ft’r has the drain holes in the floor, right up against the transom. Normal activity in this boat always brings water into it. The boat is designed such that while underway and all the water flows up against the transom, I can pull the plugs and let the water drain out. The plugs have to be back in before the boat stops, or I end up in one of those sneaker wash/live well combos. Not all boats are designed for draining while underway. If you don’t know if your is, don’t try it. Btw: you are right, the big boat has 2 stern scups and 2 p/s drain holes w/plugs, all at floor level.<br /><br />Having the drain hole 1-1/2 inches up the transom probably isn’t doing you much good as far as getting the water out of your boat. You should be able to move the hole back to where it belongs. The Marine-Tex (or equiv expoy system) should be ok for what you are doing. If your transom is 3-inches of ply/glass, it is unlikely you need to reinforce the transom by re-glassing the old hole, although it is not going to hurt to do so. Obviously, it is important that you completely seal all of the transom wood.<br /><br />What do you think about sealing up the old hole altogether and installing 2 new drain holes, one in each corner, since it seems that is where the water ends up anyway? Overall, it might be less work to drill 2 new holes than grind out 1 old one. Just a thought.

 

[Boilermaker]

Re: Transome/bilge drain plug???

18RABBIT>>> Thanks again.> <br />Yep>>>the sight of a boat on the ramp with out the plug in is always an interesting view>>>tried to throw someone one of my spares last year because he was scrambling to find his after a good "sneaker washing" (I like that phrase).<br /><br />Anyway>> my 18ft'r is the same way>>>made to drain underway>>. Always worked well>>>when My dad had this boat>>>he never even had a bilgepump on board (I installed an 1100GPH)>>>But now I always have some water in the bilge>>just asking for rot. The bilge well is a tapered vee bottom>>like the bottom of the hull>>>I guess it follows the hull, maybe the bottom of the well is the "keel" from the original layup of glass>>. I'm not sure HOW they laid the glass back in 1971, but I do know that they laid it in THICK This boat will probably outlive ME!!!!