1989 23' Seacraft.

[JohnB]

rsegreto,
I have a GRP meter to measure moisture. If you drilled holes and water came out, save your money on the meter. It will tell you that the whole thing is wet. When I was boat shopping, 80% of the boats more than 5 years old that had cutout style transoms, and outboards were signifigantly wet according to the meter, regardless of manufacture or visible inspection. I talked to Carl Mosely this week about my boat (great guy, thanks for the info Carl), and he said that water from the atmospheric preasure changes will naturally penetrate any transom. If you have water in the bilge, which has no sealing gelcoat, it will migrate into the wood. It is a fact of life. I don't know if this is the cause, but I agree by observation, as to what I saw. I went thru a boat yard in Tarpon Springs and put my moisture meter on about 60 boats, and the majority of them had wet transoms (these were high end boats under cover, and dry stored). If you have water running out, you need to determine whether or not it is structurally compromised, or just wet. If it is structurally compromised, it needs a new transom. If it is just wet, you might be able to dry it out, than us a West Epoxy treatment on it. Mine was wet but structurally sound (as best I could tell). I dried it out to 15% or less moisture detection, than treated it with West Epoxy, and sealed it back up 3 months ago. I check it every month with the meter, and it has stayed a consistant 10 - 15% on the meter. As far as flex on the motor goes, I have a 250 Merc which weighs about 470 pounds. If you stand on the back of it, there is very little flex in the transom, but if you start bouncing it back and forth, you can see some flex. I think that even a good transom with almost 500 pounds bouncing back and forth will get some flex to it. My long term strategy is to put a bracket on that will distribute the load evenly across the back of the boat.
Keep us up to date on what you find.

[Scott]

RSEGRETO

Your fortunate that you live in the NorEast as you can expect to pay top dollar to have it restored by a pro (that knows what he is doing)

Wow was that sarcastic....but seems to be true!!!!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

But anyway up here in the north it seems we premium for any marine service. I am in the same situation as at some point I want solid wood in the transom.....It's ok now but will need some help soon. I've tried to get a few quotes down here in NJ and they are all over the place from a couple grand to 4-5 [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] and thats for a notched transom.....Problem is that from experience something always happens and it ends up costing more!!!!!

Fellow…..I think that also answers your question on how the boat is coming……
Its been a less than Ideal summer for me …. With neck and back problems….I just look at the boat and my back goes out!!!!
HOWEVER…….I’m looking to float the little lady in the early fall just to play a little and maybe get a hook or two into some underwater creatures…..Time will tell!!!
[img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

[ August 23, 2002, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: Scott ]

[rsegreto]

JohnB-
Your boat's a beauty....Great picture!! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
Well, here's another little bit of info. for you. I've also noticed that my water line is starting to go below the water level, not much but it's noticeable to me anyway. I would expect this maybe when I have a full tank of fuel but at half? Does this seem possible? I have a Merc. 200 hp. outboard hanging off the back which adds some weight as well. I'll have to stand on the engine when I take it out for the season this year to try and determine what the heck's going on. But as someone stated earlier, I don't think that I need to go out and buy a moisture meter. Maybe the best thing to do would be either to drill some more wholes into the transom or have it surveyed.

[Scott]

Hey Rich

When the water that came out of the transom .... did it stop or just keep dripping till you put the hardware back???

and how long have you noticed the waterline disappearing???.....Any chance your foam filled stringers are wet???

I ask as a 23 SeaCraft that was restored down here had a similar problem (not sure about any water line changing however) but the transom was wet(this was an I/O) and when they started the work the guy told me that five to six …5 gallon buckets of water were recovered as it drained out of one of the stringers.....he said it just poured out. They did nothing but got the bulk of the water out, let it dry as best they could and then finished the transom.

I never found out how they thought the water got in there ... however it was over some time. The whole point is that this was about 200Lbs of water that could affected the trim of the boat.

You may want to drill some holes in the stringers (I think Fellow-Ship went through this exercise) down low to see if there is water in there..

Hope this helps!!!!! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
Scott

[JohnB]

FYI,
My boat stays on the trailer 95% of the time, and when it is parked,
I tilt the nose way up in the air to make sure that any water anywhere
above or below deck drains out. I have seen some seacrafts that
when at rest, are nose down and this would allow water to seep into
areas that it shouldn't over time.

[rsegreto]

Hi Scott-

The water stopped a very short time afterwards and well before I put the hardware back on. As for the water line, I first noticed it towards the end of last year but didn't really think much of it and just attributed it to perhaps extra gear that was onboard. It seems to be the most noticeable on the starboard side though. About 3/4 of my scupper is under water as opposed to the other which is around a 1/2.
I suppose that my stringers may be wet but I wouldn't know the first thing about how to go about taking them apart to see if that's the problem though. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Rich

[rsegreto]

Hi JohnB-
I was surprised to see that when you used your moisture meter while looking at boats in Tarpon Springs that so many of them had wet transoms. I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or not but I'm glad to know that SeaCrafts aren't alone in "The Wet Transoms" Club. I guess that water has a way of getting into all kinds of boats no matter what name brand it is.
Rich