Ol' Girl gets a new Ol' Girl

[MotoBoat]

Toni, I think you largest problem to overcome, if using the penetrating epoxy. Is the damp wood your attempting to saturate. A wet wood transom, encased in fiberglass does not easily or completely dry out. If the epoxy at west marine will work on dry, damp, and even wet wood. Then your in business. You will find the transom wood to get gradually wetter, from top to bottom (bottom being at and below water level).

If I were you. I would first check the stringers that run from stern to bow, under the floor. Your concern would be at the rear of the boat, where the stringers contact the transom. There is a high likely hood of damage there too! The more or less damage you find. Can dictate how much work is needed, and at what cost.

For some reason, I like the dig out the wood idea, and start fresh with some sort of resin or pour in type product that fills the void where the wet wood once existed.

The reason I like this the best. Is it might be something a do it your self-er can undertake, at the least cost, and best repair result.

Again, this is in the case where the West Marine Penetrating epoxy doe not work with damp, wet, or saturated wood.

[Bodofish]

Accept that mnost of the penetrating epoxies are water based these days and most say right on the packaging they can be used on wet wood. Now to what extent they work, who knows. There are always space heaters and a drill to help dry things out.

[hewesfisher]

This one got a lot of favorable comments on an RV forum I follow. Many class Cs suffer over cab leaks and resulting wood rot from poor window and rubber roof installs leaving folks to deal with rotted wood issues. Personally, I'd remove as much of the rotten wood as possible. If the wood is just wet, but still solid, that's one thing, but if it's completely rotten, it's lost its structural capability, and that's a whole 'nother issue I don't think epoxy will cure.

[Mike Carey]

This one got a lot of favorable comments on an RV forum I follow. Many class Cs suffer over cab leaks and resulting wood rot from poor window and rubber roof installs leaving folks to deal with rotted wood issues. Personally, I'd remove as much of the rotten wood as possible. If the wood is just wet, but still solid, that's one thing, but if it's completely rotten, it's lost its structural capability, and that's a whole 'nother issue I don't think epoxy will cure.

Toni, in the lower right corner of this links page is a "RottenBoatZine" that has several good articles about epoxy restorations. Check some of them out, they are quite good.

[MotoBoat]

This one got a lot of favorable comments on an RV forum I follow. Many class Cs suffer over cab leaks and resulting wood rot from poor window and rubber roof installs leaving folks to deal with rotted wood issues. Personally, I'd remove as much of the rotten wood as possible. If the wood is just wet, but still solid, that's one thing, but if it's completely rotten, it's lost its structural capability, and that's a whole 'nother issue I don't think epoxy will cure.

Toni, in the lower right corner of this links page is a "RottenBoatZine" that has several good articles about epoxy restorations. Check some of them out, they are quite good.

Toni, a couple of helpful webpages that apply to your boat repair: First two were recommended to me after emailing your boat repair, to the company website Mike supplied.

http://www.rotdoctor.com/glass/GLrotrepair.html#transom
http://www.rotdoctor.com/projects/Cobra.html


This youtube video shows the wood portion of the transom fully removed and the channel filled with Sea Cast, a liquid product.

Video number 10: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYDN1plw ... el&list=UL

Actual pouring of the product: Video number 11: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypg1Eh8U ... el&list=UL


Hope this helps.

[Toni]

I had already seen the rot doctor stuff. They are located in Seattle. I can also get starboard in Seattle. What I may need is a warm, dry garage but not located in Seattle, Olympia would be nice.

[Bodofish]

I had already seen the rot doctor stuff. They are located in Seattle. I can also get starboard in Seattle. What I may need is a warm, dry garage but not located in Seattle, Olympia would be nice.

If you can swing it, I've seen an awful lot of work done to boats under one of those Costco carports and a few tarpts. Get all the fuel out of the boat, space heater in and you're gold. Nice place to keep the boat after repairs too.

[MotoBoat]

I had already seen the rot doctor stuff. They are located in Seattle. I can also get starboard in Seattle. What I may need is a warm, dry garage but not located in Seattle, Olympia would be nice.

Not knowing what your research had turned up. The information I was providing, was not for a certain product. As much as two different repair options.

Have you decided whether your going to repair the transom as it sits on the boat, dig out the rotten wood without cutting any boat fiberglass. Or cut out the fiberglass panel from one side, for better access to the transom wood?

What is Starboard?

Okay, I see it is really King Starboard? A sheet of plastic, that comes in various sizes, and thicknesses. Why this instead of marine ply saturated in the epoxy resin? The resin would be supplies on hand for the fiberglass repairs? Or the liquid transom material?

Apparently, the king Starboard plastic. Needs a specific brand, of very expensive adhesive, to bond two layer together.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... ld_dp_8005

The boat is 40 years old now. I suppose the question is "What is the practical life left in a 40 year old boat? What is the practical material to achieve that? How much are you willing to spend? And how easy is it for the novice to use the chosen materials?

Any material used for the transom, even wood. Will likely outlast what is wooden under the floor. I don't have a garage to offer, much less one located in Olympia. If I did, it would be yours......LOL!

[Toni]

I had already seen the rot doctor stuff. They are located in Seattle. I can also get starboard in Seattle. What I may need is a warm, dry garage but not located in Seattle, Olympia would be nice.

Not knowing what your research had turned up. The information I was providing, was not for a certain product. As much as two different repair options.

Have you decided whether your going to repair the transom as it sits on the boat, dig out the rotten wood without cutting any boat fiberglass. Or cut out the fiberglass panel from one side, for better access to the transom wood?

What is Starboard?

I know almost nothing. I have someone who wanted to take it apart and put it back together but I don't have funds and he doesn't have a warm dry area to do it.
Of course doing all this is more than the boat is worth but I don't have funds to find another boat. Just like putting $ into an old cars transmission. You could use that money to buy a used car that may have the same problem or fix what you do have and know that isn't going to go bad for awhile at least.
There are several products that say they will harden dry rot. If this really works it could save some money to add to the transom with aluminum. I have a splash well that helps hinder this process of even getting to the transom.
http://s1295.photobucket.com/albums/b63 ... 4deff6.mp4
http://s1295.photobucket.com/albums/b63 ... 7337bb.mp4

[Bodofish]

Ouch, that hurts me just watching the video under there. Laying on the bottom of a boat and getting under there is just.... well you know. Can the splash guard be removed, can you get to the transom from the top if you removed the combing?

[MotoBoat]

Ouch, that hurts me just watching the video under there. Laying on the bottom of a boat and getting under there is just.... well you know. Can the splash guard be removed, can you get to the transom from the top if you removed the combing?

I agree, laying on the boat floor, in a awkward position, to get that video is pain full indeed. Then to find the soft spots.....more pain full than making the video.

Toni, I really feel for you. That is one of those boat repairs that I personally never wanted to have to deal with. I did look at several youtube videos to get an idea. How other, home owner/boat owners dealt with the transom issue. Of the 4 or 5 videos, each was dealing with a fiberglass boat. There was a mixture of outboard and inboard/outboard boats.

Regardless of which motor configuration the boat had. One thing in common, was a fiberglass boat has a top cap that sits on the boat shell. The top cap can be thought of as cracking a peanut shell to get at the peanut inside. There are two pieces of shell. Think of one as the shell or bottom and sides of your boat. And the other part of the shell, as the top cap That is everything above the sides of the boat.

Each repair involved removing the motor, and cutting of the top cap at the rear of the boat. Or some removed the entire top cap of the boat in one piece. If cutting the top cap, the cut was made in front of the splash tray. That way, the splash tray and top cap came off as one piece. This removes all obstacles for maximum transom access, without removing the entire topside of the boat.

The youtube video I posted earlier, and others would give you an idea of what your up against.

I hope this boat was a super good deal. To offset the repair time, and cost.

[Mike Carey]

I'm curious, any leaking when you had it out on the water?

[Gringo Pescador]

Toni - something to look into...

There used to be an OSC (Occupational Skills Center) that was a part of the Highline School District right at the south end of SeaTac Airport. They had a cooking program, computer program, and A FIBERGLASS program for the high school kids. They would take projects like this for the class and all you paid for was materials. All of the work was done by the students and over seen/bought off by the teachers. You might give the school district a call and see if the program still exists. If they don't, you might check some of the vocational schools around. I Renton Vo-Tec used to take on student projects in their welding program for the same deal (you pay for materials). It may take longer to get done, but it would be free labor and easier on your back

[Bodofish]

That is the best idea yet!

[MotoBoat]

I'm curious, any leaking when you had it out on the water?

Mike, I too pondered the answer to that question. Here is the answer I got after asking Toni. Found on page 2 of the comment string:

Yes, I took the plug out. Lots of water came out, maybe a half gallon. It was raining. When I came home and saw how much water was coming out of the hole just from the rain...totally acceptable amount.[/color]

[Toni]

Toni - something to look into...

There used to be an OSC (Occupational Skills Center) that was a part of the Highline School District right at the south end of SeaTac Airport. They had a cooking program, computer program, and A FIBERGLASS program for the high school kids. They would take projects like this for the class and all you paid for was materials. All of the work was done by the students and over seen/bought off by the teachers. You might give the school district a call and see if the program still exists. If they don't, you might check some of the vocational schools around. I Renton Vo-Tec used to take on student projects in their welding program for the same deal (you pay for materials). It may take longer to get done, but it would be free labor and easier on your back

He told me no cost for labor. That isn't the issue. Dry warm area is. Me and money for supplies is an issue. Even with costco carport and heater there would be high humidity.
At least with these videos and pictures I have an idea about what he is talking about when it comes to the repair.

[MotoBoat]

[quote="Toni] He told me no cost for labor. That isn't the issue. Dry warm area is. Me and money for supplies is an issue. Even with costco carport and heater there would be high humidity.
At least with these videos and pictures I have an idea about what he is talking about when it comes to the repair.
[/quote]

That is awesome, someone stepping up to help you like that. Based on the videos and pictures giving you a better sense of what is involved.

I am curious, which free repair has the gentlemen or gentle-lady discussed using to repair your boat?

[obryan214]

looks pretty stable with that hull design. not to big for the smaller lakes and not to small for sekiu either.

[Mike Carey]

I'll bet this boat was left outside in the rain year round. Sitting water = death to a boat. Although I must say from the video and pictures the exterior looks to be in good shape and the motor seems to being purring right along.

Toni, is the floor carpet? Next project - rip out the carpet and paint it with some of the anti-skid sealer stuff.

And final curious question - did the seller mention anything about the transom? I know its a little late now, but it really steams me if they said nothing - which I'm guessing from the fiberglass stripping they applied they knew there were issues. Grrr, I'm getting POed sitting here.

I know it's a buyer beware world but a seller has a moral obligation to be honest about known defects, IMO. When I sold that sailboat of mine I pulled the flooring and showed the guy exactly what I did. I would not have wanted him to find out after the fact and have him call me about it. And I know you would do the same.

[Toni]

looks pretty stable with that hull design. not to big for the smaller lakes and not to small for sekiu either.

Exactly!