Transom condition

I've probably done over a dozen 19 Bayliner transoms, when the average builder constructs the transom of a 19 foot boat he cuts of two sheets of three-quarter inch plywood, when Bayliner built that boat they used a piece of plywood 2' x 2' x 0.75 of an inch and an additional piece 2' x 6" x 0.5".

The simple repair procedure involves removing the rub rail and a couple dozen additional fasteners that are under it and lift the deck and cuddy cabin off the hull, it probably takes me a hour and a half not counting the time it takes to remove the engine. Once the deck is suspended above the hull it's easy to scoop out that little bit of plywood and the chop (mat) that is covering it. If you're going to get into this project I'd be glad to scan some photos of the procedure and post them but I tend to agree with the others that suggest that this is a bad investment.
Gerald

 

In addition, take a small (2 oz) hard yellow plastic faced hammer and gently but evenly start tapping all over the transom inside and out, aft floorboards, stringers, everything. Try to keep the taps as uniform as possible and really listen to what you hear. You may find a 'dull' sound indicating soft wet wood by the bolts and a 'sharper' sound meaning good glass bonded to good wood out by the hull. I mean to really get info from this you need to tap every square inch literally, which means spending some time at it, but most surveyors use this method to tell them where to look more closely.
Personally I'd run away from this deal so fast I'd leave skid marks. Never buy a boat on 'emotion' I've learned by watching 50+ years of bad boat decisions, see photo.
Always, always analyze, compare, criticize your own reasons for wanting a boat and be really honest with yourself.

 

I did not notice the stress cracks until a couple days after I put down $600 on the boat. I know nothing about boats, I had a list of things to check that I gathered from various people that own boats locally (friends and relatives). All of the check points checked out OK, so, I thought this was a good buy if I could afford it. I could not afford it with the Merc 135 so he was going to give me a Johnson 85 for $1000 and $200 for the controls because he was going to take the Quick Silver controls with the Merc 135 that was currently on the boat. After talking to a few people the thought was to keep what was on it if I could, so the dealer made me a deal that I could pay for it over the winter and shrink wrap and storage would be free. This made up my mind to put down the $600. I don't have to have "this" boat but it is the style I have been looking for. I wanted a 17-20ft cuddy with an outboard in the style that this one is. Over the past few months I have bid and lost on a few on Ebay, not getting exactly what I want, as in, no cuddy but bow rider or cuddy but inboard etc... This boat is the exact look and size I like. Believe me since I put the $600 down I have thought many times of backing out but not sure I can at this point without losing the $600 bucks. Part of me does not want to and part of me does and only because I am worried about the transom cracks. I like the look of the boat and the price is about what they have been going for on Ebay and local paper. I can only hope for the best right now I think.

 

Someone is sure to tell me where I am getting it wrong, but surely superimposing another transom over the existing one is a possible solution. I'm thinking highest density PVC/GRP foam sandwich, epoxy to existing, bolt your outboard back on, countersinking the bolts thru the rotted transom so they sit flush on the inside of the original outer glass layup.

 

I will look into superimposing another transom over the existing one with PVC stuff, first gotta find the stuff your talking about. I will do a search on superimposing transom or some version of that. I am open to anything that will make this boat sound without tearing apart the transom. I have seen videos of people who have rebuilt the transom and I don't have the space, the tools nor the patience to do something like that.

 

The material I am referring to as regards the PVC foam is Divinycell, there are a few others on the market though, Klegecell, Termanto to name a couple. I would be looking at the higher density grades that will give better resistance to compressive forces. The thing would ideally be bevelled around the edges so when glassed it will be solid glass at the edges, rather than unprotected foam. Use a high glass/polyester ratio laminate for the sandwich to supply the strength. Maybe quarter inch per side minimum, or thicker on the outer face. Might be a problem bonding, with epoxy, to your existing transom if it ( the add-on) or the transom isn't 100% flat and true. Shouldn't need much prep ( sand and clean ) of your existing transom. Won't be cheap, but I agree that avoiding a tear-down is highly desirable. I think those foam sheets are 8x4 feet, a high density grade say 1" thick will be expensive, but it is the way I would go, if I had to.

 

The transom in the 19 foot Bayliner is a little different than most, like I said above the plywood is only 2 ft.², here's some scanned photos....

 

Yeah, well clearly that is not exactly a flat span, which may alter things. Taking decks and floors off and digging out old rotted timber stringers and transoms doesn't appeal to me at all, the thought there is rotted timber in there seems to bug people, other than added weight it really isn't a big deal if you can maintain structural integrity by some method.

 

I do not have the space, tools or knowledge to do this kind of work, taking off the top of the boat and doing fiberglass work is a little out of my relm of experience. I mean, I am will to learn anything but after watching some vidoes of people doing this, I don't even have the space to do it never mind the equipment. I guess if I have to, I think I would just run this one to the ground and buy another boat. This is my first boat and I know nothing about them.

I thought the transom was the whole back of the boat from side to side and top to bottom, shows how much I know. So the transom wood does not cover the whole back of the boat, just where the motor mounts to?? Looks like if this is so, the wood part of the transom is supported by 2 horizontal pieces of wood. Seems if those are rotted then the transom has no support. I will have to see if I can see any of this without taking the top of the boat off.

 

The attached transom on a transom idea is a very poor one, particularly in this case. The ugly of it is, you're going to have to cut the inner liner or outer hull shell to get at the problem. Being unwilling to do this, you may want to buff her up and see what she'll bring when the water goes soft next spring.

 

Well, you say it's a dud idea, but don't explain why. I can't see a structural problem, who cares if there is rotten timber left in there ? Epoxy and modern materials can do the job, IMO. But I am happy to hear why not. As for aesthetics of changing the external appearance......pffftttt !

 

http://www.torresen.com/butterfly/butterfly.php?p=Hull_Repair_Refinishing

the gel coat cracks may simply be stress related age cracks, or it could be a rotten transom. A badly rotten transom you should be able to notice other troubles.
Can you take a hammer and sound it out all over?
Dull thud squishy springy feeling likely bad wood under that glass.

I replace a wood transom on 2 boats and it was no fun but not too hard.
Did one from the inside, other totally ripped it off and started over.
When you buy a boat you should anticipate issues like wood rot.

 

Hello, putting a second transom outside of the original one is a really bad idea. If you don't have any structural design background, then perhaps you shouldn't be giving advice here. The outboard motor clamps to this area and you don't want to be clamping through rotten wood. Replacing the wood and glass structure is the only way to fix this thing if it is rotten. It's like putting a bandaid on a stab wound.

 

Like I have said, the transom seems solid. I have pushed and pulled very hard all over the transom and bounced hard on the motor and the transom does not seem to budge. The merc 135 is 100 lbs heavier then the Force 125 that the boat original came with from what I understand. So with my weight and the extra 100 lbs, I would hope that if the transom was really that bad I would have seen movement. I guess I am really hopeful that the transom is okay and I will do all I can to protect the transom before it hits the water this spring. I think, from all I have gathered so far, I am going to use the Gel coat repair kit and go over all the cracks/crazing and I may overlay some kind of outside support for the transom per Mr Efficiency recommendation. Hope for the best after that because I do not think I have the space or skill to repair a transom. That was hard to say, "not having the skill" for I can fix anything mechanical or electrical since I do have a EE and minor CS and I am a certified auto mechanic since 1982 and recert 2007 and I have a electronic repair shop and I have never failed to fix anything. Although if I really had to, I would take the project on if I had the space and tools.

 

Didn't I tell you jumping on the thing wouldn't tell you anything? Was this too difficult to understand? All you have to do is lift the darn thing and all will be reveled, though this does assume you have a clue as to what you're looking for, which clearly you do not. Most transoms I've inspected I didn't have to lift the leg, it was obvious just by sight. Puckers around the bolts and brackets, plus other signs of core crushing and transom distortion. Any half way skilled boat mechanic will see these things the first time they look at it. If you Mickey Mouse the repair, then have to take it to a real pro for a real repair, I'll bet they say they don't want to touch it, just because they don't want to find more Mickey Mouse stuff behind the obvious stuff. It might actually cost 15 to 40 bucks to have a real pro look at your transom. Bring donuts and coffee, bright and early on a Saturday morning and you'll get it for half price, if not free. You can fool around with this and hope to get lucky or you watch your engine swimming around under the back of your boat after a healthy hole shot. It's you're call.

Mr. Efficiency's idea is hair brained and foolish, it's placing a band-aid on a wound that needs sutures.. So how much room do you think that engine bracket has to grab a hold of a double thickness transom? Your gel coat goo job is like putting makeup on acme, it doesn't address the issue, just temporary covers it up.