Boat Builder Central - Builder Forums

VT_Jeff wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 2:24 pm

fallguy1000 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 12:34 am Good news.

The boat is solid frp.

So what the duece is sinking it, wet transom and stringers?

Well, I wondered same a bit, so asked if he felt like the chop he ground into was wet. But saturated transom is plenty heavy.

Wet sole is also bad.

He can also do some more tapping inside to see if the boat sounds different or has any area that seems 'loose' or delaminated. But only cut in if there is a truly mechanically loose fiberglass skin!

fallguy1000 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 2:26 pm But saturated transom is plenty heavy.

Maybe that's it. Here's a (possibly insane) sanity check:

I just read that the saturation density of pine can be as high as 250%. Assume a base moisture content of 30%, so assume a max increase of 220%. Full sheet of 3/4" pine ply is 60lbs

I don't know how much wood is in the transom, but if we look at a few scenarios:

2 full sheets = extra 144 lbs
3 full sheets = extra 216 lbs
4 full sheets = extra 288 lbs
5 full sheets = extra 360 lbs

So, depending on how much wood is actually in the transom, that is potentially a lot of extra weight if it's saturated to it's max capacity

If the stringers and sole are saturated and contributing, I would think they'd need to be saturated near the rear only or else the boat would not squat so much, they would weigh it more evenly bow-to-stern.

Most of the mass of stringers and sole is aft of centerline.

Hull is usually wider and deeper aft.

It all adds.

i'd say the sole is also soaked among other plywoods there.

VT_Jeff wrote: ↑Tue Jul 13, 2021 11:00 am

t_mcgarry wrote: ↑Mon Jul 12, 2021 7:33 pm Jeff and Fuzz, so your thinking the stringers are wet and adding weight and increasing the draft? Or some other untold problem?

. . and check any "closed" cell foam for saturation.

I did repairs on a boat with wet transom and some balsa core, it also turned out to have "sealed" flotation chambers with saturated foam and many gallons of water.

Hi, I was trying to find a good place to work on her. We had another 3 inches of rain Friday a Saturday. That’s about 10 inches in two weeks. My basement flooded a long with 1000’s of other homes in south east Michigan. I’m gonna need high ground. Well, Fallguy you asked if the piece I cut out is dry? Yes, stone dry and solid. Thanks for the detailed instructions for the repair. So, to proceed i need to cut out 3-4 feet from the transom forward? I was thinking to make the cut up to the bulk head with the gas tank. I drew a new diagram. Red is the new cut out line, green are the stringers and the x’s represent bulk heads with foam. Or would it be better to take the center console out and cut the whole sole out? What are your thoughts? Thanks, Tom

The rot and soaked will decide how much you need to remove; not you.

Fuzz may recommend keeping the hatches, but if the sole underneath is all soaked up and rotten, there is really no choice.

Tom I think that would be the a great first place to start.

Tom

Totally agree with the others. You will have to cut out 2 feet or so of the stringers to tie in the transom. That is going to tell a lot about both the deck and stringers. Last one I did the transom was rotten but the stringers were solid but I did not know for sure until I cut into them. In my case the stringers had so much glass over them it did not matter, the wood was just a form for the glass. Most production boats are not built near that heavy and need the stringers to be in good shape.

Hi . I got down to the boat today. I was mapping out some cut lines and started cutting on the transom shell. The question I have is should I cut between the wells? Or cut further forward through the live wells? Some one said to stay out of the gullies. Are they hollow core? They sound like it? What are your thoughts. I put the new line in blue. Thanks, Tom

David, aka Fuzz, is an Alaskan bushman. He won't tell you anything wrong. Those guys get er done.

But you have to remove ALL rot. Nothing else matters.

Start cutting out the last hatches aft for some worki g room.

If you encounter rot. Co tinue cutting. Not a choice.

I suspect you have some wet, soggy plywood.