Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

After beating the hell out of my hands and arms for two days, the transom is out.

A few tid-bits:

I was blown away by how easy it is for water to, over time, get in and rot a wood transom. I would recommend everyone doing some preventive maintenance and completely pull out every thru-hull in the transom and re-seal, or do that epoxy-thing - you know drill out larger an fill w/ epoxy and re-drill etc. It will save you aggravation , $ and work in the long run.

All the drain tubes coming form the fish boxes and the bilge are very suspect. On mine, they were either pitted badly, or leaking already. Two bolts that held a power steering ( an i/o ) bracket did a lot of damage.

To remove major sections of the transom, I used (2) tools; ( note: I did this from the inside ) a circular saw and a Sawzall w/ a wood blade. I would cut 12" square sections, cutting just the wood transom and being careful NOT to penetrate the fiberglass skin, and then wedge a long 'Wonderbar' between this pc. and the fiberglass transom. Then drive another thick wedge in, until I would hear it splitting away from the transom. Then remove this pc. The rest is all hammer and chisel to remove the sticking ply.

It is a bitchy job, but I removed my transom in 8-10 hours total working time. Now, to the next step - preparing a new transom....

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

What, no chainsaw?

It is tough work, but the best way to be truly intimate with your SeaCraft. Whoever coined the phrase "marriage is a lot of hard work" probably didn't own a SeaCraft with a bad transom.

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

I finaly got the 5th layer of glass in on the out side of the transom.....yipee. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

I had to drink two beer just to numb the thought of all the other stuff that follows........next step 6 layer of glass on the inside, can't hardly wait. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Least I had one nice day to work on it. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Chris,

That's alot of glass. How nasty is that job?

I gotta tell you about this guy up the street that Tom and I met this winter. He was doing a redo of a 22 Mako CC. He had twin 175's on it and it sunk twice last year at the dock. So he closed in the transom - nice job. He did an OK job on the paint.

So he got the new Armstrong bracket and starts drilling holes and water was "pouring" out. He failed to seriously consider redoing the lower transom (considering the boat had bottom time). We didn't have the heart to tell him how stupid that was. How's he doing?

My point. Your doing a great job for a good reason. Plus you're not "wasting" your time. Yours is a SeaCraft! Keep up the good work...

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Thanks Otto, I just continue to pick away at it, not much else you can do.
I keep having to flip off my smartass neighbor that keeps asking "when we going out next week?" [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img]

By the way I had to laugh my ass off at the new signature. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Hey now, not all of us that are restoring Makos are as dumb as that guy! I may be close, but at least I put some thought into this thing! Hehe!

What a dumbass, his stupidity in putting twin 175's on that small boat should have told you something from the start!

http://www.classicmako.com/images/cmc_logo.gif

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Sound's like thing's are going good for you Finster,just keep an eye on your stock level of your cold beverage of choice(michelob). don't want any slip up's there [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] .... I support the chainsaw theory [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] LT DAN

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">WAY too funny.

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

RingLeader,

Good to see you back here on classicseacraft.com. My comments were not about Mako guys, but about how bad we felt for him cutting corners, which, as I'm sure you've read on this forum, is a no no.

From what I've seen on your site, your "people" have got it together.

A Mako owner, a SeaCraft owner and a Contender owner walk into a bar....

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Otto, I hear ya man. If you do it right the first time, it should be better than new when finished!

I thought for a while and couldn't think of a punch line for your joke above!

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

A Mako owner,a Seacraft owner and a Contender owner walk into a bar for some burgers and beers. After listening to their "tall" fish tales, the Mako owner walks out with a huge smile and a fat wallet while the Seacraft and Contender owners drown their sorrows about their high priced boats

Ok gents....before you jump all over me, remember it is just a JOKE and a new Mako isnt much less than a new Seacraft.

ABL111-

I am in the process of replacing all of my thru-hull fittings in the transom area. All are being seated with 5200 and the exposed wood epoxied. Some were plastic, some were bronze. In my experience, a lot of wet transoms are due to the usual unsealed transducer screws, etc....but I think a biggest culprit is always the swim ladder. Step on a new one and see how much it moves.....now add saltwater and time and even the best caulk job....the transom is still going to get wet. When I eventually redo my transom and raise it to 30 inches (it is solid as a rock now....knock on wood) I am scrapping the dopey swim ladder, and will make sure that all holes drilled through the new transom will be encapsulated with epoxy before any fittings, transducers or motors are bolted on.

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Ed,

Thx for your input. I tell you, I don't really trust 5200 anymore than other sealants. I don't know why, but it seems to be as susceptable to leaking as any other silicone/caulking material - and is a P.I.T.A. to remove...

I would rather use silicone and reseal every (2) years... Even better, I like the epoxy idea. I read the West System fiberglass repair manual and these guys seem to have sealing figured out. It is a lot of up front work, but over the long haul it is probably worth it. It's just that silicone or 5200, over time, will fail. And the repurcussions of that ' failure ' can be a bitch...

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Ed, Where you been? Good follow-up on the joke. Ditto the swim ladder. Its the culprit. Good call.

abl1111, silicone=junk - west system epoxy=good long term projection - 5200 is head and shoulders above any other sealant IMHO, except when trying to bond the stuff to starboard. I put my motor on with 5200 and when I went to take the motor off, I removed the 4 bolts and the motor didn't budge. I let the tension off of the hydraulic motor hoist and it stayed put!!! To finally get the motor free, I had to use that anti-bond stuff and it didn't penetrate all of the 5200. So in those areas where the anti-bond didn't reach the sealant took the gelcoat and the first layer of fiberglass off with it!!!

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

A Mako owner, a SeaCraft owner and a Contender owner walk into a bar....

And he had nobody to talk to but the blueberries were good (slightly inside followed by a very inside joke) [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

Hey Trayder - think we can scrounge up some Blueberries at the Newport Shindig? Not Mich or Bud but...

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

A Mako owner, a SeaCraft owner and a Contender owner walk into a bar. The Mako owner sits at the bar because his feet are killin him from the pounding he took on the mornings ride. The Contender owner has 2 doubles strait up cause he's p.o'd that he didn't by a SeaCraft. The SeaCraft owner (a CSC member) who renovated his Potter 23 CC and saved $40,000, bought all the drinks and got all the chicks cause they liked his "smooth ride". After several brews of choice (Corona), the chicks loved the 4 boat theory...

[ June 11, 2003, 11:39 PM: Message edited by: Otto Cuyler ]

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

RL,

I had an experience w/ 5200 where it did not work out as well as your experience(s). The transom to hull joint on my 20 Grady ( under the outboard ) had a 1/8" gap where water was able enter. I cleaned it up really good ( degreased ) and used 5200 to close this potential transom rotter.

The next year, I saw that the 5200 had come away from the seal and was not keeping water out. I cleaned it all up, removing the 5200, and re-did with a 3M silicone. (4) years later all is still good.

My thought was that the 5200 could not take the small but constant movement/vibration of the meeting transom and hull - 5200 too rigid ?
The silicone was more pliable and able to. Note: personally I cannot see how this joint on the boat moves at all, cause the hull is pristine and solid, but I could not think of another reason.

Also, when I installed a thru-hull for my livewell, everyone in the marine industry told me to use silicone and not 5200. Who knows ? As for installing a motor to a transom, I would use 5200.

I would like to know when to use 5200 and not to.

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

All I can say about 5200 is:

PAPER TOWELS

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

RINGLEADER-

Hey Eddie....I've been working very hard on my boat. I should have some pics for you very shortly. Let's just say that I've spent a lot of time and too much money getting her ready. Wiring is a pain in the arse....especially for a rookie like me.

Otto- We'll have to test out your Mako vs Seacraft theory at Trayder's get together in August. In all honesty, I do love the looks/shear lines of a 23 Seacraft. Maybe someday, I'll own one too but for now the Mako 231 will have to do.

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Abl111-

5200 as you said is very good for somethings and not so good for others. It really depends on the application and if you think you'll ever need to gain access again to what you're sealing.

If you think you may need to remove it at sometime use LIFESEAL (gas tank hatches, deck plates, above & below rubrails, etc) if not... 5200 away.

Re: Transom is OUT - do preventive maintenance
 

Ed,

Since none of my 4 boats are in the water and/or not ready, a Mako 231 would look good for rippin around on Father's Day.

The best boat is the one you're on...