New to me Grady White Tournament 19 owner! Info wanted about boat/hull

xoibsurferx · Sep 4, 2019

Hello everyone! I just acquired a what's titled as a 1986 Grady White Tournament 19 with an older Yamaha 200hp precision blend outboard.

The boat seems solid and with the exception of a few scuffs here and there on the hull, it seems to be in great shape.

-Primary use case: Local lakes and want to take it in the ICW and nearshore (within 10 miles out if that) off NC/SC coast. Main use will be family fun and some fishing.

Model number on hull: NTLBC311G586

-Questions:
*Anything I should look for or be concerned about?
*Transome has two small cracks at the top. The previous owner ran it as is but I'm assuming down the road (still has some miles of use left I hope) will need the transom redone which I know will cost...I'm hoping I can get a few seasons out of it before needing to have the transom fixed.

DennisG01 · Sep 4, 2019

It's hard to say if those cracks are indicative of a "must repair now" thing, especially just by looking at pics. But they are large enough that I would want to check things out better. Check for moisture and soft/dead spots in the transom - all the way down to the transom keel. Tilt the engine up and bounce on the engine while someone looks for flexing in the transom. If all looks good, consider yourself lucky and repair the crack sooner than later.

xoibsurferx · Sep 4, 2019

DennisG01 said:
It's hard to say if those cracks are indicative of a "must repair now" thing, especially just by looking at pics. But they are large enough that I would want to check things out better. Check for moisture and soft/dead spots in the transom - all the way down to the transom keel. Tilt the engine up and bounce on the engine while someone looks for flexing in the transom. If all looks good, consider yourself lucky and repair the crack sooner than later.

Thank you for the response! I will definitely inspect further and pray it's just a crack in the gel coat/glass and not down into the wood and beyond...If it checks out that it's not flexing when jumping on it with the motor up what can I use to repair the cracks? Epoxy I'm assuming?

Ky Grady · Sep 4, 2019

Looking at the pictures with the cracks, looks like it has come frome the bang plate screw and migrated. Biggest problem I see is from the angle of picture, looks like the crack could be directly above the engine mount bolt. Checking the flex of the transom is a must.

xoibsurferx · Sep 4, 2019

Ky Grady said:
Looking at the pictures with the cracks, looks like it has come frome the bang plate screw and migrated. Biggest problem I see is from the angle of picture, looks like the crack could be directly above the engine mount bolt. Checking the flex of the transom is a must.

Looking down from the cracks they're on the side of the motor mount bolts it looks like. Still close and I tried the motor flex trick and didn't see any flex at the transom. BUT I can see under the metal plate that there's some moisture. With no flex maybe I can seal it as is and try to run it as-is for a while and save for a transom rebuild as I'm assuming it won't be cheap....The previous owner ran it as is and honestly I traded a larger boat that wasn't perfect either as it needs a new trailer so I guess I shouldn't expect it to be perfect which is fine I'm just hoping I can get a few seasons out of it as is before having to replace the transom and save for it.

xoibsurferx · Sep 4, 2019

UPDATE: I looked inside the motor well area and looks like the bottom bolts are pulling a little bit into the transom (hard to explain). I know that's not a great thing as that would indicate the wood is probably not perfect in there and seeing some stress. I guess the question is since I'm not seeing a big amount of flex (After putting the motor up more (I had it about halfway up previously) I did see a little flex when jumping on it but not a ton. Would I be okay to run it as is for a while and save for a new transom rebuild?

There are other odds and ends that need to be done such as:
-new VHF radio antenna and radio before going out
-I need to fix the rear seats as the bases are missing (I have cushions but the wood baseboards that go beside the motor well is missing)
-Cushions for the front bow seating area
-I'm sure I'll find some other things as well.

DennisG01 · Sep 4, 2019

Make sure you're pulling pretty hard on the motor. But, what I expect to happen is what you are seeing... water gets into the crack (and, based on the opening of the crack, the transom HAS flexed), seeps down to the bottom and the rot starts from there. I wouldn't want to guess one way or the other if it's safe to run that way - or for how long... I'm too far away for that

That'll have to be your call. It could be OK for a while - but again, I wouldn't want to guess.

I understand what you are saying about the bolt heads pulling into the transom. As you surmised, it's because the transom wood is soft.

xoibsurferx · Sep 4, 2019

DennisG01 said:
Make sure you're pulling pretty hard on the motor. But, what I expect to happen is what you are seeing... water gets into the crack (and, based on the opening of the crack, the transom HAS flexed), seeps down to the bottom and the rot starts from there. I wouldn't want to guess one way or the other if it's safe to run that way - or for how long... I'm too far away for that That'll have to be your call. It could be OK for a while - but again, I wouldn't want to guess.

I understand what you are saying about the bolt heads pulling into the transom. As you surmised, it's because the transom wood is soft.

I do believe that may be the case, unfortunately...I did call a local marina and they suggested it would cost around $3K to fix it the right way...Which is a lot more than I expected it to cost...I'm just hoping I can run it as-is for a season or two and save up to fix it.

DennisG01 · Sep 4, 2019

xoibsurferx said:
I do believe that may be the case, unfortunately...I did call a local marina and they suggested it would cost around $3K to fix it the right way...Which is a lot more than I expected it to cost...I'm just hoping I can run it as-is for a season or two and save up to fix it.

Actually, that estimate is about on par. Materials aren't the issue - it's just a lot of labor. If you think it's safe enough to run for now, you could just goop up the crack with a good sealant for the time being.

FYI, you're in the same "boat" as a lot of people looking at decades old boats. It's not uncommon, at all, to see this issue. I know that doesn't make it better, but at least you know you're not alone.

Parthery · Sep 4, 2019

First GW I ever owned was an '86 190 Tourney...it started life with a 150 Johnson and had a 150 Yami Pro-V on it when I sold it.

I had to replace the tank as it failed....also had to reglass the floor hatch into the storage compartment as it got soft. A 33 year old boat is going to have soft wood and the transom pics indicate you already know that.

On the other hand it was a great boat and we had a ton of fun on it.

Good luck....

xoibsurferx · Sep 4, 2019

DennisG01 said:
Actually, that estimate is about on par. Materials aren't the issue - it's just a lot of labor. If you think it's safe enough to run for now, you could just goop up the crack with a good sealant for the time being.

FYI, you're in the same "boat" as a lot of people looking at decades old boats. It's not uncommon, at all, to see this issue. I know that doesn't make it better, but at least you know you're not alone.

I may run it the way it is for now. Just curious is there more stress on the transom from going slower or going faster on plane? Obviously, if I need to take it slow to avoid stressing it more I will.

That's true. Doesn't make it better but at least I'm not the only one. Good news is it seems to check out other than the transom and the little things it needs.

MashpeeMan · Sep 4, 2019

I run a 2001 190 with a Yami 150 and the boat is solid in every way. Handles the waters around the southern Cape and buzzards bay like a champ. That being said, last year I noticed that the metal/aluminum plate that goes over the transom was loose and I was having a hard time getting the original screws to hold, so I re-sealed the plate to the transom and also sealed any gaps. My transom was not soft in any way, but I sure didn't like the idea of water getting into the gaps, and I'd suggest that you also seal the transom if you are going to run it (before making repairs) so that you don't add more water to the wood. I definitely wouldn't ignore those cracks and leave them open/exposed while running it (whether you're on plane, where you'll be hitting waves/wakes or plowing you'll be placing plenty of force on the transom).

xoibsurferx · Sep 4, 2019

MarlboroughMan said:
I run a 2001 190 with a Yami 150 and the boat is solid in every way. Handles the waters around the southern Cape and buzzards bay like a champ. That being said, last year I noticed that the metal/aluminum plate that goes over the transom was loose and I was having a hard time getting the original screws to hold, so I re-sealed the plate to the transom and also sealed any gaps. My transom was not soft in any way, but I sure didn't like the idea of water getting into the gaps, and I'd suggest that you also seal the transom if you are going to run it (before making repairs) so that you don't add more water to the wood. I definitely wouldn't ignore those cracks and leave them open/exposed while running it (whether you're on plane, where you'll be hitting waves/wakes or plowing you'll be placing plenty of force on the transom).

I will definitely seal up those cracks before running it the way it is just to avoid getting more water in there that'll cause more damage. Any advice on what to use to seal it up for now?

MashpeeMan · Sep 4, 2019

xoibsurferx said:
I will definitely seal up those cracks before running it the way it is just to avoid getting more water in there that'll cause more damage. Any advice on what to use to seal it up for now?

I used 5200 on mine because the transom was solid so a "permanent" solution seemed like the right idea. But since you're not confident in the transom yet I'd probably just go with something like a silicon sealant that will hold out water but can be easily removed for a more permanent repair (and easier access to really assess the level of damage).

xoibsurferx · Apr 20, 2020

So finally I'm at the point of getting this boat ready to use. I actually took it to a local marina and they're looking at it in more depth. The motor was hard to start and so first I'm asking them to check out the compression and fix the hard start when cold issue (they said its probably a dirty/clogged carb which is common as these older Yamaha have a separate circuit in the carbs for starting).

Transom comments were that its definitely got some issues BUT to what extent they're not sure yet but from a quick look when I dropped it off they said plating it inside/out may be an option to distribute the weight better. He just stated its hard to drop 4K or so in a transom and that plating 'could' be an option to at least allow the boat to be useable for much cheaper.

Thanks for all of the advice. I'll post updates as I get them!

suzukidave · Apr 20, 2020

i had a 1985 tournament 19 with the same cracks. it had them when ibought it in 2006 and when i sold it in 2019. yours are slightly larger than mine were. my boat lived on a trailerunder cover. i agree with filling the cracks with caulk to prevent water ingress. my buyer checked the transom and felt it was rock solid. i might be concerned if your boat has lived on a mooring.

if you are concerned you can lift the engine off, unscrew and remove the aluminum angle trim, drill out the screw holes with a lineman drill bit and inspect the wood tailings that the bit expels. those will tell you if you have any rot. then refill the holes with penetrating epoxy and replace the trim. that is about a 2-3 hour job for a boat shop.

suzukidave · Apr 20, 2020

also if it does have rot, before you plate it follow my plan above before you plate it. penetrating epoxy will strengthen rotted wood. i tecommend "rot doctor" epoxy.

TinkerinMatt · Apr 22, 2020

FYI, I also put a 25" shaft on a 20" transom tournament 19, and started with those brackets you have, and they are NOT strong enough for a 200. Them sitting 4" back also puts more stress on that transom, and I have the same cracks. That lift plate is only rated for 150hp, not the 225hp that was advertised on West Marine. I could visibly see them flexing when I launched out of the hole. I ended up going with Bobs Machine vertical extension brackets which are rated to 300hp.

vertical extension brackets

They are much stronger material, and go farther down on the transom to distribute the load. I also installed some transom saver brackets on the bottom and top bolts so it further distributes the load on the transom.

Heres my thread on thehulltruth that documents the process.

25" shaft on 20" transom 1987 Grady

xoibsurferx · Apr 22, 2020

TinkerinMatt said:
FYI, I also put a 25" shaft on a 20" transom tournament 19, and started with those brackets you have, and they are NOT strong enough for a 200. Them sitting 4" back also puts more stress on that transom, and I have the same cracks. That lift plate is only rated for 150hp, not the 225hp that was advertised on West Marine. I could visibly see them flexing when I launched out of the hole. I ended up going with Bobs Machine vertical extension brackets which are rated to 300hp.

vertical extension brackets

They are much stronger material, and go farther down on the transom to distribute the load. I also installed some transom saver brackets on the bottom and top bolts so it further distributes the load on the transom.

Heres my thread on thehulltruth that documents the process.

25" shaft on 20" transom 1987 Grady

So that's why it has the jack plate then? The shaft is a 25 on my Yamaha 200 but the transom of the Grady is 20...I was very curious as to why the jack plate was in the picture. Thanks for letting me know. I'll ask the marina where it's at now getting the motor checked out about it but I could see why the jack plate could be a bad thing as it would put added stress on the transom.

I see your in virginia - I'm in NC (Monroe, NC) but got this boat to take to not only the local lakes (lake norman and Wylie) but the intercoastal and to use nearshore (less than 20 miles offshore). How does yours handle? I've read many mixed opinions.

Parthery · Apr 22, 2020

GW did not switch the 190 Tournament to a 25" transom until 1988. I ran into the same situation many moons ago when I had to repower my '86 190.

Wound up going with a 150 Yamaha Pro-V which had a 20" shaft. It also had a crack in one of the heads that had been repaired with JB Weld. To this day, I still see that boat on the lake and it's still running good.

New to me Grady White Tournament 19 owner! Info wanted about boat/hull

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