Transom/ stringer rot

D

Dr. Hook

New member
Hi everybody, first post here. I'm thinking of buying a boat in a year or two, just researching and dreaming lots right now.

I live in Ontario, Canada and boat on lake simcoe, the great lakes, and smaller lakes with my restored 76' starcraft supersport 16' aluminum with honda 50 hp. Its just not enough boat for these big lakes and I am limited to only calmer days.

After lots of research this V20 design seems like the best balance of overall economy vs rough water performance. Love the beautiful classic lines too. My dream boat would be a Limestone 24' cuddy, but I think the v20 would be sufficient, and easier on the wallet.

Now my big question and main concern: is it even possible to find a 30 year old boat that does not have rot in all the wood structure? I mean if it were a trailer boat that was always covered? Hard to guarantee that history though.
And is it possible to get at the stringers and transoms and visually inspect all of the problem areas? Or do you need to get a survey done? There is one for sale nearby for $2500 I may go have a look. Bet its rotted and soggy.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-m...in/1287825673?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
 
Welcome. Very possible to find one without rot in ALL the wood, probably impossible to find one without rot in some of the wood. One of the first places to check is the drain holes in the stringers where they meet the transom. Wellcraft just drilled holes and left the wood exposed. That's where it usually starts. If the boat has a large metal plate on transom, I'd stay away. Your also looking at 30 year old motors. There are some cream puffs out there, just have to be patient

Good luck
 
Yep, Like Phatdaddy just said, there are some good ones, just have to be patient. You're correct on the ability of the V20 to handle rougher water. Of course it's never going to handle waves like a 45' Trawler can, etc... but for it's size I'd stack it up against just about any other boat and I'll bet it will win every time for ride and dryness in the snot.

Take a rubber mallet with you when you go inspect the boat. Tap on the transom all over, starting at the top and working down. Listen to the sounds of the "rap". Soggy wood will make a dull muted sound while good hard wood will make a sharper report. Next, get inside the boat and walk over the entire deck, especially near the sides, feeling for any soft spots where the deck gives a little under your weight. That's a tell-tale sign of rotted wood...either under the floor or on the stringers. Good luck in your search. Good to have you aboard. If you should happen to buy that boat please post pictures ... we love boat porn here. (even if you don't buy it, we love boat porn pics).. :love:

PS: Extend the outboard engine all the way up as far as if will go, then lean on the prop hard while looking at the transom. If you can see the transom move/flex that's a sure sign that the transom wood is rotted underneath. Walk away at that point, no matter how good the deal is, unless you're ready to fix the transom.
 
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what they said plus...

the boat picture has been painted. That usually implies that some repair work has already been done which is usually a good thing (why would you paint something without fixing it first?). BUT you never know...

Inspect fuel tank, preferably by removing the hatch, not just the round ports.
It will be foamed in. Look for corroded aluminum tank, stripped screws in sending unit, old hoses, wet foam...you also get a peek at the stringers in there.

if allowed, remove a screw low on the transom, like a transducer screw. Does water come out?

Put your weight on the lower unit and see if the transom flexes.

nowdays you can get a flexible camera pretty cheap, use one in every hole you can find.
 
Thanks thats all great advice guys! Is it hard to take that fuel tank hatch off , like do you have to remove screws?
I want to go and check this boat out mainly just because I have never seen a V20 in person, and I want to learn how to inspect these things.
This other one for sale is very interesting, but they put a 5.7L in it and I think thats too heavy for this boat size. Although they have fixed the transom which is great. If it had a 4.3L in it instead that would be perfect!!https://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-m...er/1293892301?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
 
Dr. Hook said:
Thanks thats all great advice guys! Is it hard to take that fuel tank hatch off , like do you have to remove screws?
I want to go and check this boat out mainly just because I have never seen a V20 in person, and I want to learn how to inspect these things.
This other one for sale is very interesting, but they put a 5.7L in it and I think thats too heavy for this boat size. Although they have fixed the transom which is great. If it had a 4.3L in it instead that would be perfect!!https://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-m...er/1293892301?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true
Click to expand...

A 5.7L is 345ci. The GM 5.7 block weighs 432lbs undressed. The Chrysler 5.7L Hemi weighs 485lbs undressed. By comparison, the DOdge 4.7 weighs 438LBs undressed. So really, there's not that much difference between the 4.7 and the 5.7. The average 200 HP Outboard weighs somewhere between 450 and 550 lbs (http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/458401-4-stroke-vs-2-stroke-weight-bar-charts.html#b) Of course you have to add in the weight of the intermediate housing and the outdrive, but even given that I don't think the 5.7l is overweight.
 
Destroyer said:
A 5.7L is 345ci. The GM 5.7 block weighs 432lbs undressed. The Chrysler 5.7L Hemi weighs 485lbs undressed. By comparison, the DOdge 4.7 weighs 438LBs undressed. So really, there's not that much difference between the 4.7 and the 5.7. The average 200 HP Outboard weighs somewhere between 450 and 550 lbs (http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/458401-4-stroke-vs-2-stroke-weight-bar-charts.html#b) Of course you have to add in the weight of the intermediate housing and the outdrive, but even given that I don't think the 5.7l is overweight.
Click to expand...

Actually I was comparing the 5.7 to the 4.3 V6 weight. However I just looked it up and its only a difference of 150 lbs or so.
A complete dressed motor with outdrive and everything is roughly 1050-1100 lbs for a 5.7, and about 900 for a 4.3.
Both are pretty heavy, I'm thinking I'd rather have a 500 lb outboard and keep the scuppers a bit higher in the water.
Then again with I/O you have the seaworthiness of the closed transom, so tough call.
 
Dr. Hook said:
Both are pretty heavy, I'm thinking I'd rather have a 500 lb outboard and keep the scuppers a bit higher in the water.
Then again with I/O you have the seaworthiness of the closed transom, so tough call.
Click to expand...

You also have the inability to seal a leak in the middle of the pond if you should develop a hole or tear in the bellows. For me, I'll stick with the Outboards
 
Dr. Hook said:
Actually I was comparing the 5.7 to the 4.3 V6 weight. However I just looked it up and its only a difference of 150 lbs or so.
A complete dressed motor with outdrive and everything is roughly 1050-1100 lbs for a 5.7, and about 900 for a 4.3.
Both are pretty heavy, I'm thinking I'd rather have a 500 lb outboard and keep the scuppers a bit higher in the water.
Then again with I/O you have the seaworthiness of the closed transom, so tough call.
Click to expand...

The weight difference between a 4.3l and a 5.7l is only about 75 pounds actual difference if comparing them with the same drive and cooling system. Mercruiser tried using aluminum exhaust manifolds to get that 150 lb difference, and lets just say that experiment failed. The only real advantage to the 4.3l is it's length being shorter for tight installations.

I personnally like I/O's, but one thing is a deal breaker with them, if you ever plan on leaving it in the water for any length of time, I would not have one. Theres just to many places where water can leak in with an I/O. 4 stroke outboards have pretty well taken away the mpg advantage, but you do end up with a large outboard smack dab in the middle of the transom in your way. And one last thing to keep in mind when deciding between an I/O and an outboard is maintence and repairs. Unless you're doing all the work yourself, plan on shelling out big bucks to have work done on an I/O vs an outboard.
 
Those are some good points you guys made about I/O motors. I think my preference is towards outboards. I feel comfortable working on them, where I have no experience with inboards.

I checked out that boat the other day, I'm pretty sure it was no good. Just trying to learn what to look for.

I looked in the bilge but found it hard to inspect the stringers as they were covered in glass that was quite rigid, and was painted white so I could not see the wood through the glass. However the drilled holes at the back of the stringer/ transom junction were rotted. I could dig in there with my finger.

Near the front I was able to open that storage hatch in the floor and pull out the liner bin. I saw that the stringers that go the width of the boat were rotted on their bottom side.

The foam near the gas tank looked all wet and black and terrible.

The transom had a big steel plate, thats not original right? And the drain holes in the transom were simply drilled and had no bushings in there so you could just dig in that wood. Seems like hack work to me.

Plus the boat was being stored without a cover, deal killer right there.

I sure do love the boat design though, they are sweet!

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http://i811.photobucket.com/albums/zz37/andrew9638/IMG_2673_zps4ntxdcxe.jpg
 
good eye, looked like you made a wise move. might be a long road trip, but that one ferm posted in the tampa craigslist looks promising
 
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