wet transom how concerned should i be?

[Joepiskapoe11]

I don't know if this is the right place for this and im very new to this forum stuff but it cant hurt to ask.
I have a 1996 Nitro 700. I have treated this boat like a member of the family all its life and it is in pretty good shape.(its used hard and looks like it to but proper care is always given to it after) I have always has a problem with listing to the port side when seating 2 people. I would have to trim so far up just to have steering due to the listing but that is an issue for a different day. I decided to install trim tabs to help compensate for the list. (witch I think is caused by a defect in the hull). during installation of my left backing plate I drilled a pilot hole into the bottom of the boat to the right of the first strake and was surprised to have 2 drops of water seep from the newly made hole. as I continued on with installation I also noticed as I drilled through the glass and into the wood I would have wet wood coming out stuck to the drill bit. the wood did not smell and it was not dark and it was not overly wet witch I fear is irrelevant since wet is wet. I'm not saying im shock to find all this and I did know that this day would come. Im at the point now where I am starting to worrie about it more and more and would just like some peoples opinion on where I am at in the "rotting" process and what I should do, can do, and watch out for. I've asked some boater friends and others but most of them suggest cutting it open and filling it will filler witch I feel like that is a band aide and will not get me very far. I've looked at this forum for other things in the past and most of the people on here are very knowledgeable and willing to help and provide an opinion. thanks.

 

[chevymaher]

You can fix it. Or book a flight to Egypt and boat in Denial.

Long term. It isnt getting better and eventually the motor is ripping off and it is sinking. As Clint Eastwood says. "Do you fell lucky. WELL DO YOU!"

Or like the old commercial said. You can pay me now or you can pay me later.

Your choice fix it now since you know it needs it. Or wait till it lets you know it is to late.

 

[Joepiskapoe11]

Thank you for the reply. Fixing it is the plan then. Now one more question. Is this a serious issue short term? I mean I have plans to go fishing next week should I be parking the boat immediately and labeling it unusable untill I make the repair? I have inspected the whole boat top to bottom looking for cracks and fractures and can not find any. I Kno that does not matter, cracks can form anytime anywhere. The fact thier are no visible cracks make me feel better atleast.

 

[oldrem]

Probably going to find a lot of water in that hull once you get started. If you like the boat and care about the peeps you boat with, I'd start a rebuild soon.

 

[briangcc]

Without seeing the boat it is hard to say if its usable or not. Could you get away with it? Maybe. Maybe your outboard goes down to Davie Jone's locker.

The fact that you have water coming out of a hole you drilled would cause alarm for me to park the boat. Why? Let me ask this question...what else is wet? For water to come out, your floatation foam is probably soaked so its no longer doing its job. Since its soaked, how about those stringers that support the floor? Are they still solid enough to withstand the admitted abuse this boat receives?

Boat's rot from the bottom up. So...take it from there...

 

[tpenfield]

I'm assuming the trim tabs would be going fairly far out on the transom. Usually boats retain water from the keel and then upward and outward. So you may not have drilled into the wettest part of the transom.

You will want to do a few more test holes from inside the transom and see if you start a small river.

 

[chevymaher]

Thank you for the reply. Fixing it is the plan then. Now one more question. Is this a serious issue short term? I mean I have plans to go fishing next week should I be parking the boat immediately and labeling it unusable untill I make the repair? I have inspected the whole boat top to bottom looking for cracks and fractures and can not find any. I Kno that does not matter, cracks can form anytime anywhere. The fact thier are no visible cracks make me feel better atleast.

Honestly. It is the same as the last time you used. it. Just be gentle. easy to where your fishing and back. I would be testing as the other post suggested. Look for cracks from stress.

 

[Joepiskapoe11]

thanks guys lots of good information here, due to space issues I was forced to mount the trim tabs more towards the center point rather than 3 to 4 inches short of the chine. I will see if I can get some pictures to share. I also did do some more investigating lastnight and drilled sample spots on portside and starboard side edges of the transom at the top and bottom. all was good their. no water, not damp and solid wood. I also put my motor brace on to the trailer and trimmed it down in position and watch the pump and how it flexed on the transom and their was no movement witch is good so I do feel a little better about the situation especially after all the good advise and information from you nice people. I am now very nervous about putting it on the water but I really want to test these trim tabs. this is my first set and am not sure how they will work. with the way my luck is as soon as I deploy them the boat will nose dive and she will be lost for ever. as I said before ive had a port side list since the day the boat was purchased and have tried hydrofoils with tabs on them and changing torque tabs as well as changing the weight distribution in the boat and nothing has fixed or helped. if the boat is not trimmed way up it will not run good at all, if im in rough water I can not trim down to bring the bow down to cut through the water because the list will get worse and all steering is gone and it just wants to dig into the water and pull hard to port. ive battled this issue for very very long time and over the years have learned to compensate for it and will drive and handle fine in most condition, but once I am in rough water I have to come down to a craw or the boat will go over the wave and pound down on the next one and then its just rinse and repeat. porpising is also my issue as well due to being trimmed up so high. my hope is being able to level the boat out will allow the hull to balance out and I will regain some steering. I have had 2 tracker and ranger boats marine mechanics inspect and test drive the boat and each one had a different reason as to why it was doing it. one said the motor was mounted to high and recommended a jack plate (he then was able to test drive the boat and did say that a jack plate would not correct this issue and he was unsure what was really going on with it.) the second mechanic said the motor was improperly installed and was no mounted level.( at the time I agreed with this assessment) after he did some measurements and some test he concluded that it was correct and mounted level and not the reason for the issue and like the first mechanic had no other reasons why the boat would run like that. both wanted to charge me an astronomical amount of money to diag the issue ($2,000+) I have since came to the conclusion that their may be a defect in the hull or at least I feel like that is the problem. does anyone know if that makes sense? would a defect in the hull cause issue like im experiencing? I know these questions are stupid but I truly don't know and do not have very many friends that boat or have boats that I can compare experiences and have discussions with. I am a motorcycle mechanic and automotive mechanic by trade and am able to work and fix anything on the motor itself with no issues but when it comes to the hull and the way the boat is made and should function I am a novice. thank you guys for taking the time to read and answer my questions and offering guidance

 

[Chris1956]

Transoms take a long time to get wet and rot out. They get wet bottom up, so most of your transom could be good. Watch the top corners of the transom for cracks. Also check the transom with a straight edge, where ever possible. Obviously cracks in the top corners or elsewhere signal impending failure.

Depending on what you see, plan rebuild accordingly. You can also drill a series of 1/8" holes on the inside (out of sight) and see how far the wetness rises. Just seal them with polyester putty, after analysis.

Also, check straightness of the hull. Transom/stringer rotting could cause list you are seeing.

 

[racerone]

I would sat crawl under the boat and push up on the hull with some force and see if there is a lot of flexing.------Does the boart list to port with nobody in it ?----Does it list at full speed ?-----Have you checked the weight of the boat ?-----Any water logged foam in the hull ?------Battery / fuel tank on one side of the hull ?

 

[Joepiskapoe11]

when it is just me in the boat it still runs with a list just not as bad. I still have a tough time bringing the bow down and getting it to handle. weight has been moved around to find the sweet spot more times than I want to count and their is not any difference. I will say this when it will get up on p[lane quick and good then start to list and as u trim up and increase speed it list and steering is very bad then its like a switch goes off after I hit that perfect spot going up in trim the portside bow of the boat lets go of the water the boat hops up on the pad flattens out a little and runs good (slight port side list still) good steering. but I am trimmed way to high. if I run over a bug on the surface of the water it will start porposing ( not really that dramatic) so I trim down a little and I mean just a little and the port side drops and grabs and steering is next to nothing. I have a 2008 Ranger Comanche with a 200 mec optimax on it that runs amazing and I should just stick with it but I love my nitro way to much. its my little river warrior I use it to fish the lower Potomac river pretty much exclusively so I cant quit on it.

 

[oldrem]

Sounds like water moving around below deck

 

[GSX455]

I have a transom that is not wet, feels dry. I have a pic where I cut a 4" square for inspection Is this a candidate for a replacement transom?

 

[emoney]

Not 100% sure what we're looking at in that pic, but I can say you'd be better served starting a new thread. More people will weigh in with their opinions, etc.

 

[Woodonglass]

I'd bet the Bank that you have had water under the deck for quite a while and THAT is what's causing the list. NOT a defective hull. Did you buy her new? If so have you had any damage to the hull below the water line? Any holes drilled in the transom for accessories? Any holes drilled in the Deck? Water has found it's way below deck and is causing your issues.