Looking for input on transom cracks

[Fishtales]

2nd one is wet. Once wet, the water will spread to a wider area.

 

[steveditt]

Had an marine fiberglass expert check my 98 208 I have one crack on the port side from the corner of the engine well toward the trim tabs sames as the pictures above for four years each year grid just the crack out and repair it with epoxy each year during the freeze they recrack and each year get a little longer , this year small crack on the starboard side same spot , I also looked inside the boat and could see on the port side the laminate cracked and separating on the transom wall in the bilge . I also removed starboard side supper I wanted to reseal it and the wood seemed fine , also removed the port side trim tab and the screws didn't seem wet . Now the expert tested using a hammer tabbing all over you could hear the difference especially areas where the laminate was separating from the wood from moisture not bad on the outside but the inside the bilge area more noticeable . His recommendations grid out both cracks 2 inches both sides fill in with fiberglass and then gel coat also resealing the aluminum cap , Inside the top two engine blots remove the nuts install 1/4 thick aluminum or SS plate drilling out for the bolts not sure how wide or length yet I'll have to figure that out .He said this will help a lot distributing the weight . He said its not bad yet but will need to replaced at some point, watch for cracks inside the the well on both sides of the motor if happens the transom is flexing which isn't good he said they are very well made and strong . Repairing/replacing is easier when there in bad shape as they kinda fall apart . He's going to the fiberglass cracks this time correctly I'll do the plate . See how it holds up and start savings .

 

[SkunkBoat]

Unfortunately, the rigidity of the transom comes from the bond of the glass on both sides of the wood. It doesn't matter that the wood is good. Without the bond, its going to flex. It is likely that the forward glass is the same. Eventually the wood and/or the glass will break.
The only proper fix is to remove the rear glass and the wood and then glass in new wood or coosa and replace the rear glass....sounds simple when you say it.....

 

[rmf4grady]

will pull engine this week to look further...No matter what I need to bring it in to have the holes I put in repaired.
The wood on the bottom of the transom look good(not wet at all) but up at top there was obvious water intrusion. I banged a
screwdriver into the wet wood and it was solid. Hopefully a simple repair will be enough for now. Fingers crossed!

 

[Punch53]

Didn't Grady use pressure treated wood by '99? I would seal the bang cap and call it a day

 

[rmf4grady]

If you look at the pictures the wood seems to be treated with something. It also looks like its dipped in some kind of fiberglass coating.
I have the holes I put in the transom that I need to have fixed. I'll be pulling the motor off to check further this weekend. Thanks for the input!

 

[seasick]

Didn't Grady use pressure treated wood by '99? I would seal the bang cap and call it a day

Pressure treated should not be used for fiberglass repairs.
Marine plywood is the better choice as far as wood goes.
The sheen on the plywood is epoxy. Plywood has to be 'wetted' with several coats of epoxy to prevent it from sucking the epoxy out of the fiberglass as it is applied.

 

[rmf4grady]

Well pulled the motor today and seems the news is no good. The fiberglass is delaminated all along the top of the transom. Probably is the same throughout the whole thing. Wood is very solid no rot that I can see with my limited view. The transom is straight no bowing. It looks very strong. Wood in bolts holes no problem. Looks like there was water intrusion that dampen the wood it froze and delaminating occurred. Seems the most reasonable explanation. What to do now??
What gives the transom it’s strength is it the wood or the fiber and wood together? Seems this is only a problem on the exterior not the interior side of the transom.

 

[seasick]

The strength of a transom is very much dependent on the lamination of fiberglass, resin and coring acting as one integral piece.

 

[Fishtales]

Pressure treated should not be used for fiberglass repairs.
Marine plywood is the better choice as far as wood goes.
The sheen on the plywood is epoxy. Plywood has to be 'wetted' with several coats of epoxy to prevent it from sucking the epoxy out of the fiberglass as it is applied.

Don't do that. Get it checked and take the appropriate action to rectify. If you decide to do seal and call it a day, make sure everyone that gets on the boat knows it.

 

[SkunkBoat]

you need the glass attached to the wood. Only way to do that is remove the glass. If you do that you might as well replace the wood (with coosa).

 

[Meanwhile]

The way Grady fills any voids is with nonstructural putty. That is a very weak method. Between the delamination and putty, I'd vote for a new transom. I did with mine. The shop had to add a week for the build just to fill all the putty voids. Will last a lifetime now.

 

[steveditt]

Depending on your schedule from what I was told a week ago mine will need to be replaced ,strength is the laminate of both sides bonded to the wood , the marine fiberglass guy who looked at mine said it all depends on how serious it is that those transoms are very strong . He recommended I install a SS of aluminum plate across my top two engine bolts 24'' by 5" to help with the stress ,I'm going to add a plate to lower bolts also , he said if you start seeing stress cracks in the engine well at the corner then its time to replace it .My cracks he's going to grid out two inches each side to the wood and repair . I'm going to see how this season goes and decide whats next .Look at the laminate inside the bilge area and tap around .

 

['84_241_Offshore]

Depending on your schedule from what I was told a week ago mine will need to be replaced ,strength is the laminate of both sides bonded to the wood , the marine fiberglass guy who looked at mine said it all depends on how serious it is that those transoms are very strong . He recommended I install a SS of aluminum plate across my top two engine bolts 24'' by 5" to help with the stress ,I'm going to add a plate to lower bolts also , he said if you start seeing stress cracks in the engine well at the corner then its time to replace it .My cracks he's going to grid out two inches each side to the wood and repair . I'm going to see how this season goes and decide whats next .Look at the laminate inside the bilge area and tap around .

Did you add the SS to the transom? How thick was it? Where did you get it? How did it work?

 

[hooked on Grady]

Don't do that. Get it checked and take the appropriate action to rectify. If you decide to do seal and call it a day, make sure everyone that gets on the boat knows it.

at this juncture you are certainly best off replacing the transom, eating the cost and write it off in the name of safety.

 

[steveditt]

Did you add the SS to the transom? How thick was it? Where did you get it? How did it work?

I went to a local metal shop had two 4 inch x 24 inch ss 1/4 plates made using a cardboard temp plate and Evinrude engine spec sheet on engine bolt location $ 135 , Fiberglass guy fixed both sides where I had cracks , he said its not bad yet and all transoms have water , they were easy to install . should really help distributing the engine weight . He said if you start to see cracks on the either side of the well where it turns near the battery of oil tank then its time .I also painted the SS plates extra protection from rusting .Hope this helps .

 

['84_241_Offshore]

I went to a local metal shop had two 4 inch x 24 inch ss 1/4 plates made using a cardboard temp plate and Evinrude engine spec sheet on engine bolt location $ 135 , Fiberglass guy fixed both sides where I had cracks , he said its not bad yet and all transoms have water , they were easy to install . should really help distributing the engine weight . He said if you start to see cracks on the either side of the well where it turns near the battery of oil tank then its time .I also painted the SS plates extra protection from rusting .Hope this helps .

Any Pics to share?

 

[seasick]

I went to a local metal shop had two 4 inch x 24 inch ss 1/4 plates made using a cardboard temp plate and Evinrude engine spec sheet on engine bolt location $ 135 , Fiberglass guy fixed both sides where I had cracks , he said its not bad yet and all transoms have water , they were easy to install . should really help distributing the engine weight . He said if you start to see cracks on the either side of the well where it turns near the battery of oil tank then its time .I also painted the SS plates extra protection from rusting .Hope this helps .

Stainless steel needs air to develop its protective properties. Painting stainless can cause issues. It depends on the primer and paint type. Painting bare stainless with metallic (copper) based antifouling paint can lead to serious corrosion

 

[steveditt]

Stainless steel needs air to develop its protective properties. Painting stainless can cause issues. It depends on the primer and paint type. Painting bare stainless with metallic (copper) based antifouling paint can lead to serious corrosion

Thanks , its not marine grade stainless I didn't use antifouling paint I'll keep my eye on it !

 

[seasick]

Didn't Grady use pressure treated wood by '99? I would seal the bang cap and call it a day

Pressure treated wood should never be used for fiber glassed structures so I assume Grady never did. Marine grade plywood is not the same as PT wood.