Transom repair and seal 1977 Hondo

« **on:** June 03, 2012, 10:11:30 PM »

Hi everyone. This is the first project that I having my son do from start to finish. I am trying to be just a "supervisor". We just purchased this boat off of Craigslist, you may have seen it. The engine is new, the interior vinyl in new (over the old wood). The trailer was completely rebuilt, down to every nut and bolt. I took a chance and trusted the original owner when I bought it. It didn't run, don't know if the pump is good, and the transom is black. I paid $2750. The hull is stunningly clean, and the gel buffed right out. The boat also came with a custom cover. This boat has a moist transom, with a small patch of rot. We are in process of stripping down the transom and inspecting everything. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

« **Reply #1 on:** June 03, 2012, 10:23:43 PM »

I have an update. The transom is solid in all the important areas. The small area of rot is way off to the side where the carpet held the moisture. Our plan is to sand it all down to a fresh surface. Dry out the wood as best as possible. Use CPES to seal everything off and to get the rot to stop. Then glass and resin halfway up the transom all the way to the bottom. How does that sound? I have laid hulls and replaced stringers and floors before. I have never dealt with wood rot and kept it in the boat. The transom is not structural on this boat right? All the forces of propulsion are on the bottom and stringers right? Also, the pump spins free. No knicks in the impeller, no shiny on the bowl, no play in the shaft. So far, so good.

« **Reply #2 on:** June 06, 2012, 01:04:04 AM »

Hondo update. The transom is all sanded down. There was a ton of moisture behind the resin and glass. Looks like most of it (on one side) came from a loose hose clamp to the exhaust trumpet. All the dust is cleaned up. Right now we are trying to dry out the wood with heat lamps. We are waiting for ups to deliver our supplies on friday. I am hoping everything dries out by then.

« **Reply #3 on:** June 06, 2012, 06:41:47 AM »

I just finished replacing my transom and stringers and floor, I used a big fan running 24/7 to help dry it out...

« **Reply #4 on:** June 11, 2012, 10:12:45 PM »

looks great, good job, keep up the with the posts

« **Reply #5 on:** June 12, 2012, 07:25:58 AM »

Nice work guys, seems like you're on the right track.

« **Reply #6 on:** June 16, 2012, 07:14:09 AM »

I apologize for the delay. I am a truck driver and have been on the road. We applied the CPES to the transom and swim steps. The CPES had the consistency of a solvent, but didn't smell too bad. The wood drank it like I was pouring a water bottle into the sand. It took 3 days for it to cure. The wood that was thin, soft, and weak is hard as a rock now. The brochure says the wood cannot rot now, I like that. I am undecided if I want to gel coat over the transom after I fiberglass it, any suggestions? We also polished the exhaust and painted the jet. We read on SCJB that appliance epoxy paint was the right stuff, so that is what we used. I am happy with the results.

« **Reply #7 on:** June 16, 2012, 07:28:34 AM »

more pics.

« **Reply #8 on:** June 16, 2012, 08:16:23 AM »

I havn't installed a jet in about 8 years. I remember not using any sealant on the suction housing gasket. Help me out guys. Do I use sealant on that gasket when I re-install the jet, I am not sure? Here is a pic of the jet with the appliance epoxy spray paint. I know I could have done a better paint job by taking the idividual pieces apart. I plan on changing it to a mixed flow next year, so I just wanted to brighten it up.

« **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2012, 04:47:31 PM »

Its been a long summer. I went through shoulder reconstruction. We replaced all the rotten wood in the transom, and floor. changed all the hoses, filters, oil, belt. We serviced everything, sealed everything, changed all the gaskets we could. Replaced rotten interior wood, on and on and on.

« **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2012, 04:49:53 PM »

more pics

« **Reply #11 on:** September 28, 2012, 04:52:03 PM »

Here is a pic of the floor wood, and the transom wood cut -out. The floor wood was trapped in a moisture capsule in fiberglass. It was bone dry two days after we cut it out of the hull.

« **Reply #12 on:** September 28, 2012, 04:53:53 PM »

Pic of the cut out section of floor. A test fit of the new wood, and the new transom wood epoxy'd in place while drying.

« **Reply #13 on:** September 28, 2012, 05:01:07 PM »

more pics

« **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2012, 05:05:51 PM »

After we replaced all of the rotten transom and floor wood. We used epoxy resin with layers of mat and woven roving on the floor. The transom patch was epoxy'd with a layer of mat behind the new wood. All the cracks were filled with "sawdust" epoxy. After that we used poly resin with a layer of mat and roving.

« **Reply #15 on:** September 28, 2012, 05:08:50 PM »

Had the carb rebuit. 800 cfm Holley, mech. 2nd, spreadbore. Had "J" tubes added, all of the vacuum ports filled with the exception of the metering and pcv. Accelerator pump link was toast, and had a stripped base bolt. All fixed and rebuilt for $195.