Water Found In Transom

[RyanB]

Over the weekend I was installing a transducer plate on the keel, centerline lowest point, of my transom. I made the plate slightly oversize to be able to add on in the future, if needed, and used 4200 and 4 screws to the fasten it. When I drilled out the lowest hole, about 2-3 coffee cups of water came shooting out. It wept for a bit after it stopped draining, and then I shop vac'd it as much as I could.

Beside the obvious that water isn't supposed to be in there, the really strange part that I found seemed to be a compartment/void/air pocket, in the transom. I could stick a small bit into my hole and bottom it out on another solid wall about a 1/4-3/8" after my drill popped through what seemed to be an outer shell of glass. Is there supposed to be an open void in there? I know its open at least as much as my 4 pilot holes spanned, as I could feel the suction on holes when sucking out the adjacent hole(s).

Until the water spit out of the lowest hole, the shavings and chips were bone dry, almost dusty.

It feels rock solid, no odd or hollow harmonics when thumping on it with a plastic mallet. If anything the lower I go on the transom, the more solid it sounds. I was nervous so starting to run my moisture meter around the transom. Above my boot strip, no alarm and the needle just barley moved, the second I would touch the bottom paint, it will sound an alarm and spike the needle. I tested this around the boat and found the exact same result. So, I'm assuming/hoping the paint is setting of a moisture level the meter doesn't like. Seems odd to be such a difference within 2" of readings.

My question again, is there supposed to be an air pocket in there? Is there a fix or need for concern over this amount of water? I searched as much as I could and find anywhere to get close to that low in the hull. The aft bilge is bone dry as its been inside for the past 6 months.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[dsharp]

What model boat? Probably just an air pocket where the woven roving didn’t get rolled out. Never seen a transom that wasn’t solid glass but I certainly could be wrong.

 

[JuiceClark]

Over the weekend I was installing a transducer plate on the keel, centerline lowest point, of my transom. I made the plate slightly oversize to be able to add on in the future, if needed, and used 4200 and 4 screws to the fasten it. When I drilled out the lowest hole, about 2-3 coffee cups of water came shooting out. It wept for a bit after it stopped draining, and then I shop vac'd it as much as I could.

Beside the obvious that water isn't supposed to be in there, the really strange part that I found seemed to be a compartment/void/air pocket, in the transom. I could stick a small bit into my hole and bottom it out on another solid wall about a 1/4-3/8" after my drill popped through what seemed to be an outer shell of glass. Is there supposed to be an open void in there? I know its open at least as much as my 4 pilot holes spanned, as I could feel the suction on holes when sucking out the adjacent hole(s).

Until the water spit out of the lowest hole, the shavings and chips were bone dry, almost dusty.

It feels rock solid, no odd or hollow harmonics when thumping on it with a plastic mallet. If anything the lower I go on the transom, the more solid it sounds. I was nervous so starting to run my moisture meter around the transom. Above my boot strip, no alarm and the needle just barley moved, the second I would touch the bottom paint, it will sound an alarm and spike the needle. I tested this around the boat and found the exact same result. So, I'm assuming/hoping the paint is setting of a moisture level the meter doesn't like. Seems odd to be such a difference within 2" of readings.

My question again, is there supposed to be an air pocket in there? Is there a fix or need for concern over this amount of water? I searched as much as I could and find anywhere to get close to that low in the hull. The aft bilge is bone dry as its been inside for the past 6 months.

Thanks for any advice.

I have no advice, but thought I'd mention the same just happened to me. I was replacing the bilge pump and switches at the stern of my 52C and decided to spend a little time on the smattering of screws and old, broken zip ties on the transom below the deck. I pulled about a dozen old screws with no purpose - and none had 5200 on the threads. (pisses me off)

On the lowest screw, a couple ounces of water poured out the hole. It didn't taste salty. So, I just figured all those screws allowed moisture to get in, degrade the core 20 years ago and there's nothing left but a little water in the bottom of the pocket. But it wasn't much coring. Like you said, it only seemed like 3/4 of an inch or so until I'd hit the solid glass of the transom/hull.

I assume there are verticle stiffeners along that transom, partitioning the core, which prevent the core deterioration from traveling sideways for very far?

 

[RyanB]

What model boat? Probably just an air pocket where the woven roving didn’t get rolled out. Never seen a transom that wasn’t solid glass but I certainly could be wrong.

Its a '86 36' Series II

I have no advice, but thought I'd mention the same just happened to me. I was replacing the bilge pump and switches at the stern of my 52C and decided to spend a little time on the smattering of screws and old, broken zip ties on the transom below the deck. I pulled about a dozen old screws with no purpose - and none had 5200 on the threads. (pisses me off)

On the lowest screw, a couple ounces of water poured out the hole. It didn't taste salty. So, I just figured all those screws allowed moisture to get in, degrade the core 20 years ago and there's nothing left but a little water in the bottom of the pocket. But it wasn't much coring. Like you said, it only seemed like 3/4 of an inch or so until I'd hit the solid glass of the transom/hull.

I assume there are verticle stiffeners along that transom, partitioning the core, which prevent the core deterioration from traveling sideways for very far?

Kind of what I'm thinking too, seems like something that used to be there, simply isn't any longer. I 4200'ed the hell out of the holes and tried to pump in as much as a could before putting in the fasteners in. I wish I could find where is may be coming from. Seemed like a lot for condensation.

 

[sixty]

Same thing happened on my 60c. we opened it up and filled with putt/ resin and then reglassed it. It looked like an intentional void. mine has been fine and my transom is solid as well

 

[JuiceClark]

Same thing happened on my 60c. we opened it up and filled with putt/ resin and then reglassed it. It looked like an intentional void. mine has been fine and my transom is solid as well

Smart. Hatteras is pretty smart too. They probably figured a lot of boats would get a bunch of compromising screws in there. So, they left the balsa out of that one area?

I guess I could fill up the void by squirting closed cell foam juice in there to harden...or leave it.

 

[Airpilot]

I have had my 60C for 16 years and every fall when the boat is hauled out I have to take out a threaded plug to let the keel drain. My guess is there is probably 6 quarts of water that drains. In the spring I put some pipe thread sealant on the plug and install it prior to launch. I hope Sky doesn’t forget to remind me to install the plug.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I have had my 60C for 16 years and every fall when the boat is hauled out I have to take out a threaded plug to let the keel drain. My guess is there is probably 6 quarts of water that drains. In the spring I put some pipe thread sealant on the plug and install it prior to launch. I hope Sky doesn’t forget to remind me to install the plug.

Don't forget to install the plug. There, its in writing now so I cannot be at fault.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Oh, and moisture meters will peg out when run over metal. Bottom paint has metal in it.

 

[Briankinley2004]

I removed a screw or two from mine and got water as well. I wound up drilling a small hole every foot or so and water seeped out for a while. Last time I checked they no longer leaked. I left them open in case water gets in there again.

 

[RyanB]

Great feedback, glad to hear I'm not the only one with a liquid filled mystery compartment.

I cant seem to get low enough inside the transom to even remotely access the area. My fresh water tank dead ends about a foot form the transom, then the aft bilge basin sits right behind it.

I dropped her in yesterday and will keep an eye on it, but I'm thinking I should be fine now. Perhaps I'll pull out a bottom screw this fall to see if any more water is in there and let it dry out over the winter, or just try to forget about it like Juice.

 

[JuiceClark]

Great feedback, glad to hear I'm not the only one with a liquid filled mystery compartment.

I cant seem to get low enough inside the transom to even remotely access the area. My fresh water tank dead ends about a foot form the transom, then the aft bilge basin sits right behind it.

I dropped her in yesterday and will keep an eye on it, but I'm thinking I should be fine now. Perhaps I'll pull out a bottom screw this fall to see if any more water is in there and let it dry out over the winter, or just try to forget about it like Juice.

If my boat was in an area which freezes in the winter, then I wouldn't forget about it. It could crack that spot.

But if it freezes hard enough down here to solidify the water in that slot, we've got bigger problems than the boat!

 

[bostonhatteras]

1970 45’ convertible My transom is foam cored. I’ve drilled a 3/8 hole at the base a few times to drain water that got in from unbedded rod holders above. No issues whatsoever with delamination. The cockpit deck is foam cored as well. Sadly that’s the extent of the foam coring from the factory