New problem...Transom Rot

Nitro Owners Forum

Help Support Nitro Owners Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Dec 8, 2021
Messages
290
Reaction score
100
Location
SOUTH
While working on my gelcoat restoration I noticed some stress cracking where the transom joins into the top cap. Figured I better check the transom. I removed several screws on the transom. The top plate and transducer cable. Brown water seeping out. Used a probe wire and I stuck it down over 4 inches from the top in one place. Transom seems rotten. Looks like I will be doing a SeaCast repair too this winter. I will post some pics and a write up on that as I work on it.

Gotta love owning a boat...
 
Today's progress:


Transom juice
20211214_112433.jpg


Motor off and transom cap cut lose.
20211214_135941.jpg


Close up of the carnage

20211214_135951.jpg


Like wet brown paper bags.
I have about 1/3 of the rotten wood out but I will have to leave it for after the New Year.
 
Didn't know marine plywood would rot like that. Good luck on the repair.
 
That, what you are describing is a boater's worst nightmare, yet you are handling it with a grain of salt. Keep up the good work and keep us posted. you might entice others to do the same thing to their boat and keep it in the family and keep the boating world alive.
My hat is off to you.
 
I cant believe it lasted that long. I have done that at ten years old. Along with the floor stringers and bulkheads. That makes me keep it dry and inside. Boats are not made to get and stay wet. Pull engine and cut cap check stringers and do it right ! one time. You take it very well, it can be done.
 
I cant believe it lasted that long. I have done that at ten years old. Along with the floor stringers and bulkheads. That makes me keep it dry and inside. Boats are not made to get and stay wet. Pull engine and cut cap check stringers and do it right ! one time. You take it very well, it can be done.
I was under the impression there were not any stringers in a nitro? Is my info wrong?
Did you remove the cap/separate the hull to do that?
 
No stringers, interesting. Have replaced 10 or 11 transoms. I lost count and don't want to remember. Made me start buying tin boats. How do you brace transoms with out stringers or brace stringers with out bulk heads. As long as its not made from wood. Wood and water mixes as well as oil and water ! My last wood transom had the consistency of peanut butter I scooped out the first bit with a spoon. No more.
 
I should have said wood stringers. Foam floatation blocks fiberglassed instead that make up to the transom. But I read it on the internet so who knows.
 
I have been able to work on the boat the last two days. I had to do some more cutting. Not what I wanted but in for a penny in for a pound. I am going to use SeaCast for my repair and spoke with their tech support. They were a great help. I have about 90 percent of the wood out. I still may have some stringers work ahead of me too. I pray not. 🙏

While the motor is off I ordered a jack plate and hydraulic steering to go back with.

20220105_141934.jpg
20220105_141938.jpg
20220105_141942.jpg
 
Interesting work, thanks for posting.
 
What are you going back with to fill the gap where the wood was? Seems like you can pour something in there that would harden better than wood.
 
What are you going back with to fill the gap where the wood was? Seems like you can pour something in there that would harden better than wood.

SeaCast. I have some fiberglass work to get it ready to pour. But it should be better than new. However where I cut the cap off may not look like much.
 
Update on my progress
I got the foam out of the sponsons. They both had water in them, at least a gallon and half.

The wood is all out of the transom cavity. I still have some final cleaning to do in there.
20220119_114941.jpg
20220119_114948.jpg
20220119_115058.jpg



I could see some gaps in the transom cavity that would allow water into bilge area. There are two raise portions on each side with the bilge sump in the middle. I cut the top of one. Yep, water in there as well. I have to use a different tool to cut into these raised portions. If I cut to deep it will cut through the hull.


20220120_130502.jpg
20220120_130813.jpg



I have decided to take the fuel tank out and cut back to the bulkhead. I will remove all the foam and rotten wood on each side. I think I will add at least two knee braces for the transom, maybe four. This has been way more involved than I originally anticipated. Oh, well doing it right is never easy.
20220119_115026.jpg
 
Update on my progress
I got the foam out of the sponsons. They both had water in them, at least a gallon and half.

The wood is all out of the transom cavity. I still have some final cleaning to do in there. View attachment 2023View attachment 2024View attachment 2025


I could see some gaps in the transom cavity that would allow water into bilge area. There are two raise portions on each side with the bilge sump in the middle. I cut the top of one. Yep, water in there as well. I have to use a different tool to cut into these raised portions. If I cut to deep it will cut through the hull.


View attachment 2026View attachment 2027


I have decided to take the fuel tank out and cut back to the bulkhead. I will remove all the foam and rotten wood on each side. I think I will add at least two knee braces for the transom, maybe four. This has been way more involved than I originally anticipated. Oh, well doing it right is never easy.View attachment 2029

Keep up the good work , you are doing a fine job. I am sure the end results will be just as good.
 
That's some work you got there. Thanks for sharing.
 
It has been several months since I have been able to work. Covid. Traveling. Work. And the wizzwells. Back at it the last several days.

Sent 5 hours finishing up the dead transom wood clean up. It will take another good 2 hours of scraping and sanding.
16599932875936060664319468040983.jpg
16599933411787671160346444352337.jpg


I have also started cutting for the stringers I am going to add. I am planning on 4 total. Here are the cuts for the two inner ones.

16599936686316244633157225894331.jpg


The SeaCast will flow from the transom cavity into these stringers through the holes I have cut. I will layup fiberglass as a form for the SeaCast to set up in. I hope my design will be stronger than factory.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top