SOB Transom is wet

[g352nv]

So I bought a 98 Cat and when I went to look at it, it was clean! The guy said he had the boat out last weekend before I saw it. PERFECT! I took a OHM meter to check the transom as it has small spider cracking only in the splash well. I tested the bolts and it zero'ed out on the OHM meter. Now this boat has been taken care of and kept garaged its whole life. It looks like a new boat so I didnt doubt it.
I had him bounce up and down on the motor and no movement. So with that and the OHM meter I thought I was good to go. NOPE! Theres no way he had it out on the water the week before or my OHM meter would of showed it. 3rd time out and I noticed black stuff leaking from the tie downs and motor bolts that I tested. Man Im pretty mad right now. Ive done a bunch of work to fit me on this rig and now this.

I got the OHM meter out today and sure enough its not zeroing anymore. Its reading at 3.0. What really sux is I really like this boat no joke. It fishes awesome and drives great. Also everything works including the digital dash. So Im at a cross roads to use it until winter or tear it down now. Being that theres no big gaps or no flexing Im leaning toward using it now and repair later. You all know Ive done some pretty crazy glass work so it doesnt scare me. That said Ive never done a Transom. Man Im heart broken. Do you guys have any tips on Transom work?

Thanks guys, time to crawl under the rock and hide. If I tear into this I may update the console also.

[Dan21XRS]

Get with the guys over on the Champion page. They've got a pretty good handle on how to dry out transoms... It may not need to be replaced... Or give Bass Cat a call, they should be able to point you in the right direction... Dan

[arjone01]

I would do what it seems some champion guys are having success with. Remove everything, build a tent around the back of the area and blast with with some heat lamps for two weeks. Even if that doesn’t solve the overall issue and you still want/need to break it down, it will buy you more time till the fall to keep using it. From the sounds of it you’re in no immediate danger and no severe damage or rot seems to be occurring. I’d at least hit it with heat and dry it out to start and see if that solves anything.

[g352nv]

Thanks guys, its weird theres no crack on the outside transom. This is happening in the splash well area. I have no idea where the water would be coming in its all sealed up. I took the top plate off and sealed the motor bolt holes. Maybe I should of done the bottom as well. No water at all is in the boat. I pull the plug and nothing ever comes out. I think Ill be ok until winter because I fish small lakes unless it gets worse. Man this gets me. Gotta love when someone lies to you. Oh well I guess Ill have work to do soon.
You guys have a link to the Champ page? Ill build this thing better than new. Its gottta take the weight of a 250 next year! haha

[yandeltx]

I would use it till the winter months then decide. Thanks

[Dan21XRS]

Here you go...

http://www.bbcboards.net/forumdisplay.php?f=35

Get with Pat Goff (pmgoffjr), Mr. all things Champion or Matt Mosher (MMosher). They'll get you going in the right direction.

http://www.bbcboards.net/member.php?u=583
http://www.bbcboards.net/member.php?u=38220

[g352nv]

Thanks!

Well took the bottom bolts out and they are dry. Next up the middle ones.

[g352nv]

Middle bolts for the jackplate dry. I guess maybe it's the top bolts?

[M-D]

Once you get into it you may find it isn't nearly as bad as you feared. I recently had water intrusion around a couple bolts but after tearing it down I found the wood to be in excellent condition.

[scotty34]

Doesn’t surprise me that it looked good. Just had to tell a customer this past week his Astro he bought a year and a half ago is rotted bow to stern. The boat has no fractures anywhere , motor doesn’t move but when I did the tap test hollow. Inside sunk my pocket knife blade all the way to the handle.
Id try to dry it some to finish out the year then tear into it this winter if you have the facilities to do inside work.

[g352nv]

Doesn’t surprise me that it looked good. Just had to tell a customer this past week his Astro he bought a year and a half ago is rotted bow to stern. The boat has no fractures anywhere , motor doesn’t move but when I did the tap test hollow. Inside sunk my pocket knife blade all the way to the handle.
Id try to dry it some to finish out the year then tear into it this winter if you have the facilities to do inside work.

Yeah Winters here mean no fishing so I know what I'm doing when it snows. I want to put a new 250 on it so I want it strong. I'm not scared of a little work. My dad thinks I should leave the console alone. We'll see, I like custom building consoles. Guess ill start with the transom and go from there.

[MMosher]

It happens. Been there. I'd contact BCB and get their recommendations, can't hurt.

Heat lamps will work if it's not rotted and just wet. Pull all thru hull fittings and check them. This includes the tie downs, transducer screws, aluminum strip across the transom and transom splashwell drains. Chances are the former owner had no idea, most don't. Spider cracks in the transom are not always a red flag. I've had a complete transom and stringer repair with coosa board and had those previous cracks repaired when the transom and stringers were done and they came back. Fortunately my are just cosmetic at this point.

Best of luck.

[g352nv]

It happens. Been there. I'd contact BCB and get their recommendations, can't hurt.

Heat lamps will work if it's not rotted and just wet. Pull all thru hull fittings and check them. This includes the tie downs, transducer screws, aluminum strip across the transom and transom splashwell drains. Chances are the former owner had no idea, most don't. Spider cracks in the transom are not always a red flag. I've had a complete transom and stringer repair with coosa board and had those previous cracks repaired when the transom and stringers were done and they came back. Fortunately my are just cosmetic at this point.

Best of luck.

I pulled everything including the drain for the splash well and it was dry. I keep pulling stuff and re sealing them and get no water or rot. I dont get it. Only thing I havent taken off is the aluminum cap but to remove it I need to pull the motor and Im not doing that until late fall. Im heaving epoxy is the best thing to use once you remove all the wood.

[dmarcwtr21]

ok this is gonna sound weird, but, do this, plug the boat up like your gonna put it in the water, take your batteries out and your charger, and fill your bilge up with water and look for the leak

[g352nv]

ok this is gonna sound weird, but, do this, plug the boat up like your gonna put it in the water, take your batteries out and your charger, and fill your bilge up with water and look for the leak

Hmm wouldn't I have water in the hull when fishing if that were the case? Until I drain the ice chest there's no water ever in the hull, not even a little bit.

[MMosher]

Water intrusion is caused by a through hull fitting not being properly sealed, not sealing up screws OR a catastrophic like hitting something, cracking the hull or transom and not realizing it. Most folks don't know any better and don't reseal everything every 4-5 years weather it needs it or not. Finding out the hard way is never any fun.

[g352nv]

Water intrusion is caused by a through hull fitting not being properly sealed, not sealing up screws OR a catastrophic like hitting something, cracking the hull or transom and not realizing it. Most folks don't know any better and don't reseal everything every 4-5 years weather it needs it or not. Finding out the hard way is never any fun.

Pulled the bottom through hole fittings and notta. Not one drop of water came out. Resealed and put back in. The transducer screws pulled and notta, resealed and put back.

[Luke]

hate to tell ya but the only way to get to the transom on a Bass Cat is to cut the back side of the top cap off.
had an 89 P2 that had a bad transom. only way to get to it was to cut the top cap off the back.
it can be done but its work.
Bass Cat Epoxys the top cap to the hull unlike a lot of other brands. Champion you can get to the transom with out removing the top cap and then just pour the transom back in
cant do that with a Cat.
I would suggest calling Bass Cat and see what their suggestions would be.

[g352nv]

hate to tell ya but the only way to get to the transom on a Bass Cat is to cut the back side of the top cap off.
had an 89 P2 that had a bad transom. only way to get to it was to cut the top cap off the back.
it can be done but its work.
Bass Cat Epoxys the top cap to the hull unlike a lot of other brands. Champion you can get to the transom with out removing the top cap and then just pour the transom back in
cant do that with a Cat.
I would suggest calling Bass Cat and see what their suggestions would be.

Thanks, thats the plan. But I will give them a call thanks!

[g352nv]

Well sat it in the sun today its 93 outside. Went to move it in the garage and there DARK brown something thats leaked on the ground from behind the jackplate. Weird because I just got done sealing all holes up. Maybe its coming from the top plate behind the jackplate I dunno. Boat hasnt been in the water for a week and hasnt leaked like this. I guess the heat is pushing the water out?