Transom Issues

[SkunkBoat]

I have something going on with the starboard corner of my Islander. The transom itself looks fine. There is a 10" crack under the rub rail with some black staining. The bang cap is somewhat intact. Middle section looks good.

View attachment 26116

I would peek under the rubrail.
Could be damage from a fight with a dock and not be transom related at all.

 

[Hookup1]

I'm guessing lots more water intrusion on the transom. Every screw on the bang cap looks like it leaks. The sides have sealant peeling. As has been said, professional assessment time.

I have an experienced surveyor coming out Monday.

 

[Hookup1]

I would peek under the rubrail.
Could be damage from a fight with a dock and not be transom related at all.

Experienced surveyor coming out Monday. Put moisture meter on it. If need be we’ll drill some holes in the transom to see what we get back. Ugh!

 

[Jimmyfiretruck]

See those areas I marked ? This boat has had a considerable amount of work done to it

that’s trouble

you buy this thing used ?

 

[Hookup1]

See those areas I marked ? This boat has had a considerable amount of work done to it

that’s trouble

you buy this thing used ?

I bought the boat in 2007. It was surveyed and I looked it over and never picked anything up. A few years ago I saw that crack under the rub rail and an indentation around the eye that you highlighted. I didn't think much about it, cleaned it up and 5200'ed it. Crack was smaller with nothing oozing out.

What makes you think it's been worked on? I don't see any evidence of a repair. The surveyor I'm using Monday is a real pro in South Jersey area. He's figure out what is going on and I'll deal with the repair.

What GRIFFIN5 said about the damage to his 268 Islander being hidden really concerned me.

The question really is "Based on first hand experience how far do you think the water intrusion has traveled given what the transom looks like?".

 

[Jimmyfiretruck]

Looking at that - that area has been worked on - Stevie wonder would’ve seen that.
There’s something bad underneath ….
Boats not in front of me - but I know trouble when I see it

 

[Hookup1]

Looking at that - that area has been worked on - Stevie wonder would’ve seen that.
There’s something bad underneath ….
Boats not in front of me - but I know trouble when I see it

Well Stevie if you are talking about the 5200 that is there YES I did that - years after I purchased the boat. The transom was never worked on. If you look closely at the ring it does look like it was "hit" and pushed in. As SkunkBoat said - "Could be damage from a fight with a dock and not be transom related at all.".

Probably happened loading boat on trailer using forklift. My trailer never has been wet - always use forklift. These guys never listen and never do it the same way twice! Alway struggle to get straps out abusing boat and trailer in the process.

 

[Jimmyfiretruck]

You’re funny ….sound like a “know it all” , but you’re funny

 

[Chessie246G]

I don't plan to test to the Grady White Positive Flotation feature!

The question really is "Based on first hand experience how far do you think the water intrusion has traveled given what the transom looks like?".

View attachment 26117 View attachment 26118 View attachment 26119 View attachment 26121 View attachment 26122 View attachment 26120

I'm pretty sure the the answer is that the problem isn't isolated. Probably have to pull the bang cap on both sides to see more. There is no swelling of the transom and no flex with the motors. I have fuel tanks that I was planning on replacing this year. I have to prioritize what gets done this summer.

Id say it is worse then you think. The tie down buckle is pushing into he gelcoat. I'd have it looked at sooner rather than later.

 

[Hookup1]

Id say it is worse then you think. The tie down buckle is pushing into he gelcoat. I'd have it looked at sooner rather than later.

I'm expecting the worst but it's possible it's localized. I still haven't heard from anyone who has been inside the transom on this model boat. I'll know better Monday.

 

[Hookup1]

I'm expecting the worst but it's possible it's localized. I still haven't heard from anyone who has been inside the transom on this model boat. I'll know better Monday.

Surveyor was out Monday. Transom is fine. The starboard corner looks like a close encounter with a concrete piling to the tie down ring. Enough of an impact to compress the plywood underneath and crack the glass beneath rub rail.

My fiberglass guy looked at it today. Transom looked good. No swelling or cracks at corners of the sump pit. His advice was to fix up the crack and gelcoat, re-caulk the bang cap and use the boat. Monitor for signs of the transom moving (which mine is not). Interesting thing he said to me is that he doesn't want to replace a transom prematurely. They are too hard to take apart! Seemed like good advice to me from a man who just walked away from a $10,000 job!

Transom will eventually have to be done but not today! As a friend of mine always says: "They are all sinking. The only difference is how fast."

7/17/2022 - I opened the corner up. It obviously took a hit from a concrete dock piling or something else hard. Transom is fine. Impact broke the rub rail mount (no backing support). Bang plate is fine. The cement like filler that GW uses was broke up. Cleaned everything out. Made marine plywood blocking. Thickened epoxy and glass cloth. Tomorrow more thickened epoxy and glass cloth. Clean up for faring compound and finish.

 

[BobH1]

Good to hear!!

 

[Kggrady30]

Here are some pics from a 94 272. Had it done last summer after repowering brought out the damage. Transom was gutted and replace with Coosa board. Total damage was $10K which included engine removal and rehanging.

Is there anyway to know about this prior to purchase? Everything looks solid on this one other than the sealant on the cap, but what lies beneath.......????????

 

[Mustang65fbk]

Is there anyway to know about this prior to purchase? Everything looks solid on this one other than the sealant on the cap, but what lies beneath.......????????

I'm not sure why there is a need to re-open almost 10 different outdated posts to ask the same question as you could've simply asked your own, but yes you can. I'd hire a marine surveyor to come out and look over the boat with you and tell you exactly what's going on with the boat before potentially buying it. They will have the knowledge as well as tools like water meters and so forth to go over the boat with and tell you if/where there is any water intrusion. If you don't want to pay to have a surveyor come out and look at the boat for you, you could always buy a water meter reader on Amazon and go over the boat with it? Some of them won't go more than a few inches deep but it will give you an idea of what to expect, and they're usually less than $50 or so.

Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors - SAMS

The Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS) is an organization of professional marine surveyors who have come together to promote the good image and general well being of their chosen profession

www.marinesurvey.org

NAMSGlobal | An International Association of Marine Surveyors | The National Association of Marine Surveyors, Inc. | Find A Marine Surveyor Near Me | Training | Education | Certification | Referral | NAMS | NAMS-CMS

NAMSGlobal members are marine surveyors who inspect, and provide a broad variety of consulting services for the maritime industry. Our members are certified based on their knowledge and experience, with designations for: Yachts and Small Craft, Cargo, and Hull and Machinery (including Fishing Vessel

www.namsglobal.org

https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-ET140-Non-Destructive-Detection/dp/B07SZX8QXH/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2RUR4TF2WJZVA&keywords=moisture+reader&qid=1674595102&sprefix=moisture+reader%2Caps%2C253&sr=8-6

 

[Late Again Grady]

Is there anyway to know about this prior to purchase? Everything looks solid on this one other than the sealant on the cap, but what lies beneath.......????????

Here are some tale tell things to look for. If you can gain access to the transom via access holes or panels, let your cell phone be your eyes. Notice the rusty water leaking at the mounting bolts and cracked mat around the as well.

 

[Fishtales]

Hope that is all it is. Once water gets in, it does it's damage. Fingers crossed.

 

[Kggrady30]

Here are some tale tell things to look for. If you can gain access to the transom via access holes or panels, let your cell phone be your eyes. Notice the rusty water leaking at the mounting bolts and cracked mat around the as well.

Thank you this is what I was look in g for rather than the other dude who gave me shit for asking a question.

 

[seasick]

It looks like the outer skin on the inside has been crushed by the engine bolts. That could could be caused by retightening the bolts excessively or stress from a soft core. It also looks like caulking was added to try to seal the gaps around the washers. The caulking I see is not typical squeeze out.
I would pull out one bolt and see whet the inside looks like. Hopefully the rot is pr3esent is local to the bolt holes.

 

[Fishtales]

If the inside was crushed, you got water and rot in the core. I doubt it was caused by over tightening to be honest. X2 on pulling out some bolts and doing some investigation.

 

[Kggrady30]

Here are some tale tell things to look for. If you can gain access to the transom via access holes or panels, let your cell phone be your eyes. Notice the rusty water leaking at the mounting bolts and cracked mat around the as well.

Saw this and moisture reader went off the chart when I put it on the transom and stringers. Needless to say, I canceled the sale.