I have a wet transom

[TomM]

I have 1997 188. A couple of days after fishing in a good rain, I'm getting a few drips of brown liquid running down the transom. The liquid is coming from under the black metal strip piece that is on top of the back of the slashwell. The metal strip was bent in the middle when I bought the boat. Like someone had the motor to low and turned the motor left and right. So the lip of the strip is bent up some. Today I removed the screws holding the strip down and found a couple that were stripped and also one came out wet. So I removed one of the top bolts that holds the jackplate to the transom and it came out moist too. The transom has no flex when I lift and move the motor around and when I tightened the bolt back up, I have no compression of the transom. Taps on the transom with the handle of a screwdriver all sound the same.

So, I take it my boat has a wooden transom, right? How screwed am I?

TIA

Tom

[ditchdiggerjcfII]

I think they can still be saved at that point. Ask on the restoration forum.

I posted in the resto forum because I am kinda curious myself.


Modified by ditchdiggerjcfII at 10:58 PM 8/15/2009

[TomM]

Man, I hope so. I did post it over there.

Tom

[TomM]

Larry/Kathy, any input you can share would be a great help to me.

Tom

[Cleveland]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TomM &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So, I take it my boat has a wooden transom, right? How screwed am I?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes you have a wooden transom and I don't know how bad off you are. I would take it to a fiberglass repair person and have it checked out.

[TomM]

Thanks Kathy. I talked with the service manager at the marine dealer near me today. He hasn't seen the boat yet, but based on what I found, he thinks he'll remove the motor and jackplate and let it dry out. Then drill vertical holes down into the wood and fill with Git-Rot.

Tom

[Cleveland]

You're welcome Tom. Sorry I coundn't be more helpful with your problem but I am
FOR SURE not knowledgable enough in transom repair or diagnosis.

Cobra family...... I haven't been in the X- Cobra boat plant or any boat plant since January 2006. It is now August 2009.... I do the best I can here in our forum to help out to the best of my ability. If you don't hear from me on a topic in our forum it's because I don't have an intelligent answer.

I miss building Cobra's but as the old adage goes.....all good things (meaning my employment with Cobra Boats) must come to an end. Time marches on fellas.

Now on a lighter note...... Can I interest anybody in a new office chair for your home office ???

[TomM]

I know I understand Kathy. The only way my brain saves new stuff is to delete old stuff but I somehow manage to remember exactly what part of a dock I caught a fish on in a lake I haven't been to in 10 years.

Tom