Wish I had watched this before I purchased my first boat a few months back. I mean I knew it was going to be a project boat but the one item I didn't want to have done is the transom. After seeing this tutorial it's glaringly obvious that it had transom issues. I know it can be fixed but was hoping to have it on the water a bit sooner rather than later. I'll definitely be looking through your videos for tips on repair.
My 1985 garage-stored Champion 184 has original transom. Boat dealers did reseal the four transom mounting bolts two separate times, (1) different motor, (2) add jack plate/steering cables needed replaced. Champ has been to boat fiberglass repair shops four times over 37-years for different impacts, but not one transom problem.
Love your champion. A transom can be fixed. Finding an ol champ regardless of transom issues is rare. Like an old classic, buy it, fix it, enjoy it so the rest of us can have the pleasure of seeing these old boats still on the waters. Great video and tips!
@@peppersboatspa7947 So that is the one....wow! I did not put two-to-two together. Man, I will check out the termite video for sure. Sad that it got termites would have been nice to save it. I am glad you did good parting it out and made some good money. You made a lot of other champion owners happy for sure. The champion parts are getting harder and harder ro find. I guess you can say she lives on in many other places around the United States!
Shoulda mentioned the potential repair cost, like say on the boat in the video. Unfortunately I had the pleasure of doing so late 90's on a 79 Glastron Bass Boat. Dam near 5K even back then ! Good video ! Gonna check out your others!
Sure are depending if they sit in a dock slip all season or get put in the barn after each use and most of all they take tremendous stress at throttle in the water but not every one runs rough water. But jumping other boats wakes are not good on them either.
If the seller is not willing to take it to the lake so you can try everything out, keep on looking. People will tell you anything to sell a unwanted Bass Boat.. I have been in this game for 45 years I’ve heard and see it all. Try all the electronics, gauges, live well pumps. Compression on the motor. Look under the hull, and if possible take it to a certified marine mechanic and have the motor gone through.And make sure the trailer has good American made tires on it and that they are not dry rotted.Stay away from cheap China bombs on boat trailers,
Most boat tanks won't gravity drain, unless the valve on the pickup tube has failed or been removed. I've never heard someone advocating to drain the tank for working on stuff, it's totally needless and probably adds more hazards than it prevents.
Many years ago i had a 1972 MFG center console boat. Foam was water logged i pulled it all out. Even cut out the front deck riser. Im sure the transom was junk. I used it for years and it was fine.
Wish i saw this before I bought my boat.....I have the stress crack near the base of the transom just like this boat has. The transom doesnt visibly flex but I have a bad feeling about it.
Don’t bounce on the bottom of the outboard because you will break the Hall and if you break it you bought it. I had an 15 year old nitro 1995 bass boats Where the transom had become so soft, I thought that I could push my thumb through it if I tried. I took the motor off, and the transom was completely delaminated from the bolt holes that held the engine on down to the bottom. I thought that I might as well try and fix it before junking the boat. I bought an aluminum plate that was bent at ninety degrees so tat it would sit over the top of the transom and cover the back on the outside and a rectangle plate for the inside then drilled bolt holes through it . I mixed up the fiberglass and poured it into the delaminate transom and them put the plates on and used the bolts to pull it back together. The next day I removed the bolts and reinstalled the motor with the plates still in place. Ten years later I had to replace the jack-plate and the transom was still solid. I sold the boat last year after explaining everything to the buyer. It was cheap and will probably last him a long time.
Yeah I realized after I posted this that recommending standing on the lower unit was probably the wrong way of putting it. While I do exert a lot of force on the lower unit with my foot, maybe standing on it and bouncing isn't the best advice. This boat had a lot more issues than just a bad transom, glad you were able to unload the Nitro. Appreciate you watching and your comments. Pepper's
Another quick way that works is to remove one or more of the screws that typically hold transducer cable etc on transom. If water starts dripping or seeping out it’s likely toast
There was going to be until I discovered termites throughout the boat and decided to just scrap it out. I'll do one next time I have the opportunity to do it. Appreciate you watching.
Great job. Now lets hope everyone buying a boat see's it. BEFORE said purchase. Must see min of 3 to a Dozen each week on a boat forum I frequent..... Hey I just got great deal or I got free boat OR I just paid $20K for this boat and i think something is wrong.....
So is this boat being used still or will it be fixed ? Like was it ok or totally gone ? I have a 98 champion and I dont have a splash well and mine was sealed when I bought it and over 4 years it finally lost seal and I should of redone it when I bought it but the last owner did a ok job at sealing but not like I would. Anyways I noticed a little bit of water comming out from being the jack plate where caulk was. So I took the top cap off and it was pretty much sealed . I kept digging taking the bolts out and I never had water come out of any hole but I could tell there was a tiny bit of moisture . I have no cracks or no flex it all sounds the same with a hammer nice and solid. But I just wonder how good it really is. I decided to put heat lamps on it for a few weeks and im gonna seal it up again and keep going. Mine didn't ever look like the boat your showing but I know it dosnt take much of a hole for water to get it . After taking the bolts out sitting there no water has came out its just like behind the silicone where he went around the jackplate. And mabe its just dirty behind the silicone and water is behind there dripping because its trapped a little. Wish me luck and i would love to see what u did with the boat in the video.
You should be okay, just keep an eye over it a couple times a year. Just take a couple transducer screws out and walk away for an hour. If weeping while away start putting some money back. As for this one it wound up having termites in the foam and stringers so it was scrapped out.
The boat was scrapped after termites were discovered throughout the stringers. Hull was sold stripped to someone who now uses it in their pond using a tiller steer trolling motor.
@@peppersboatspa7947 well that’s a shame! Have you ever used sea cast. If so what’s your opinion? I think it can be used in stringers as well. I use to work in pest control. Termite colonies typically live 20 to 40 feet below ground. The ones you find above ground are workers gathering food. They will die off after a while if they are removed from the colony.
Fact is however that a bad transom isnt the end of the world for a boat. And if it was you wouldnt have bought this one. Yes its best to realize it before you actually buy the boat so that the price can be negotiated accordingly.
Marine plywood, when laminated and sealed properly is as strong and durable as any other material. During the 90s it was about keeping cost low and selling boats so transoms didn't get much attention until the early 2000s when Champion, Skeeter, and a few others started developing issues and customers started having to spend a lot of money to have them repaired. This transom I'm doing is sealed all the way around with epoxy, and resin where the glass is applied. This transom should last for many, many years to come as it is better than what the manufacturers used back then. Hope this info helps a little bit.
There is some good info you are providing, but also a bad piece of advice to be telling to perspective new boat owner. I mean, honestly, If I was ever selling my boat and someone started to jump on my lower unit.... that wouldn't end well at all. Would you really just let someone just bounce around on the lower unit of your bass boat, like seriously? If someone doesnt know what they are looking at then probably just advise tht they do the right thing and take it to a marine shop to have it professionally inspected, just like you would likely do with a car. I am very confident in the transom of my Skeeter, but nobody is jumping on the lower unit without buying the boat first, then they can abuse it all they want!
You're right, I shouldn't have exaggerated on jumping on someone's lower unit, but I do place my foot on it and apply some pressure to check for upper splash well flexing as well as the bounce to check for flexing around the lower mounting bolts. I should be more specific in future videos, so I appreciate your feedback and thank you for watching.
Many thanks on checking transom failure indicators. Especially the stress crack! Saved many of us from an Expensive repair! Respect! Sir.
Thanks for the info, I'm going to look at a 1994 nitro 170dc tomorrow and I will definitely be using some of these suggestions to test the transom!
Thanks for the info, good video. I’ve bought 5 boats over the years and have never given this a thought.
Thanks for the info! I’ve been looking for a boat and this is excellent knowledge to have!
Wish I had watched this before I purchased my first boat a few months back. I mean I knew it was going to be a project boat but the one item I didn't want to have done is the transom. After seeing this tutorial it's glaringly obvious that it had transom issues. I know it can be fixed but was hoping to have it on the water a bit sooner rather than later. I'll definitely be looking through your videos for tips on repair.
Definitely saved me from a bad purchase after finding that same stress crack❗ Thanks 👍
Awesome deal! My job is complete then! Lol. Glad I save you some money.
My 1985 garage-stored Champion 184 has original transom. Boat dealers did reseal the four transom mounting bolts two separate times, (1) different motor, (2) add jack plate/steering cables needed replaced. Champ has been to boat fiberglass repair shops four times over 37-years for different impacts, but not one transom problem.
Thanks for the tips! Have a blessed day!
Love your champion. A transom can be fixed. Finding an ol champ regardless of transom issues is rare. Like an old classic, buy it, fix it, enjoy it so the rest of us can have the pleasure of seeing these old boats still on the waters. Great video and tips!
You need to watch my "termites" video as well. This Champion had so many issues. Don't forget, you bought parts off this rig. Lol
@@peppersboatspa7947 So that is the one....wow! I did not put two-to-two together. Man, I will check out the termite video for sure. Sad that it got termites would have been nice to save it. I am glad you did good parting it out and made some good money. You made a lot of other champion owners happy for sure. The champion parts are getting harder and harder ro find. I guess you can say she lives on in many other places around the United States!
He did lol
Going to look at a 1991 procraft 20ft bass boat, glad I came across this vid!
Thank you very much for sharing this valuable information!
Thanks for the overview. Helpful tips
Shoulda mentioned the potential repair cost, like say on the boat in the video. Unfortunately I had the pleasure of doing so late 90's on a 79 Glastron Bass Boat. Dam near 5K even back then ! Good video ! Gonna check out your others!
Great info thanks man.
Thanks for the video. Much appreciated.
You're welcome, glad it helped.
Used boats are the scariest purchase you can make. Be wide awake and very suspicious of any used boat. They are not all as obvious as this one.
Sure are depending if they sit in a dock slip all season or get put in the barn after each use and most of all they take tremendous stress at throttle in the water but not every one runs rough water. But jumping other boats wakes are not good on them either.
If the seller is not willing to take it to the lake so you can try everything out, keep on looking. People will tell you anything to sell a unwanted Bass Boat.. I have been in this game for 45 years I’ve heard and see it all. Try all the electronics, gauges, live well pumps. Compression on the motor. Look under the hull, and if possible take it to a certified marine mechanic and have the motor gone through.And make sure the trailer has good American made tires on it and that they are not dry rotted.Stay away from cheap China bombs on boat trailers,
Great video l, well done 👏 ✔
Good video thanks
Thanks for the info Im looking at a 84 glass stream 15 ' for 1000 .00
Yap very good eye to see or just pay attention.
Thanks buddy.
Most boat tanks won't gravity drain, unless the valve on the pickup tube has failed or been removed. I've never heard someone advocating to drain the tank for working on stuff, it's totally needless and probably adds more hazards than it prevents.
Many years ago i had a 1972 MFG center console boat. Foam was water logged i pulled it all out. Even cut out the front deck riser. Im sure the transom was junk. I used it for years and it was fine.
cool video, thank you for the inf provided
Appreciate it
Good Info
Wish i saw this before I bought my boat.....I have the stress crack near the base of the transom just like this boat has. The transom doesnt visibly flex but I have a bad feeling about it.
Sale It...
Did you mention grab the motor and push and pull up and down and look for movement.
Yes
i would think that something other than wood if I were engineering, building or repairing a transom. Like maybe aluminum?
THANK U
Don’t bounce on the bottom of the outboard because you will break the Hall and if you break it you bought it. I had an 15 year old nitro 1995 bass boats Where the transom had become so soft, I thought that I could push my thumb through it if I tried. I took the motor off, and the transom was completely delaminated from the bolt holes that held the engine on down to the bottom. I thought that I might as well try and fix it before junking the boat. I bought an aluminum plate that was bent at ninety degrees so tat it would sit over the top of the transom and cover the back on the outside and a rectangle plate for the inside then drilled bolt holes through it . I mixed up the fiberglass and poured it into the delaminate transom and them put the plates on and used the bolts to pull it back together. The next day I removed the bolts and reinstalled the motor with the plates still in place. Ten years later I had to replace the jack-plate and the transom was still solid. I sold the boat last year after explaining everything to the buyer. It was cheap and will probably last him a long time.
Yeah I realized after I posted this that recommending standing on the lower unit was probably the wrong way of putting it. While I do exert a lot of force on the lower unit with my foot, maybe standing on it and bouncing isn't the best advice. This boat had a lot more issues than just a bad transom, glad you were able to unload the Nitro. Appreciate you watching and your comments.
Pepper's
what do think oof the 1996 fisher hawk special ?
Psa knock on the trasom if it sound hard it hard if it sound hollow it no good then shave the motor
Looking at a 95 Ranger now
Can it be replaced??to new
Another quick way that works is to remove one or more of the screws that typically hold transducer cable etc on transom.
If water starts dripping or seeping out it’s likely toast
You're absolutely right, forgot to mention that. Thanks!
@@peppersboatspa7947 Yep. Or the screw has dark rotted wood on threads.
Only a real scumbag would try to sell a boat with a bad transom without disclosing it.
Is there a future transom repair video?
Even if it's outsourced.
There was going to be until I discovered termites throughout the boat and decided to just scrap it out. I'll do one next time I have the opportunity to do it. Appreciate you watching.
I'm very new to boats don't currently own one. What am I supposed to do if I bounce the motor and it falls off 🤔
Run. Lol
For anyone wondering if a 1988 galaxy. Old people owned it since day 1 so I have paperwork for everything.
I bought a 1000$ boat next day brought it to the water and it works great :)
Great job.
Now lets hope everyone buying a boat see's it. BEFORE said purchase.
Must see min of 3 to a Dozen each week on a boat forum I frequent.....
Hey I just got great deal or I got free boat
OR I just paid $20K for this boat and i think something is wrong.....
A lot of first time boat buyers over the past 2 years. Hopefully this video helps.
So is this boat being used still or will it be fixed ? Like was it ok or totally gone ? I have a 98 champion and I dont have a splash well and mine was sealed when I bought it and over 4 years it finally lost seal and I should of redone it when I bought it but the last owner did a ok job at sealing but not like I would. Anyways I noticed a little bit of water comming out from being the jack plate where caulk was. So I took the top cap off and it was pretty much sealed . I kept digging taking the bolts out and I never had water come out of any hole but I could tell there was a tiny bit of moisture . I have no cracks or no flex it all sounds the same with a hammer nice and solid. But I just wonder how good it really is. I decided to put heat lamps on it for a few weeks and im gonna seal it up again and keep going. Mine didn't ever look like the boat your showing but I know it dosnt take much of a hole for water to get it . After taking the bolts out sitting there no water has came out its just like behind the silicone where he went around the jackplate. And mabe its just dirty behind the silicone and water is behind there dripping because its trapped a little. Wish me luck and i would love to see what u did with the boat in the video.
You should be okay, just keep an eye over it a couple times a year. Just take a couple transducer screws out and walk away for an hour. If weeping while away start putting some money back. As for this one it wound up having termites in the foam and stringers so it was scrapped out.
Out of curiosity . What is your plan for repairing the transom?
The boat was scrapped after termites were discovered throughout the stringers. Hull was sold stripped to someone who now uses it in their pond using a tiller steer trolling motor.
@@peppersboatspa7947 well that’s a shame! Have you ever used sea cast. If so what’s your opinion? I think it can be used in stringers as well. I use to work in pest control. Termite colonies typically live 20 to 40 feet below ground. The ones you find above ground are workers gathering food. They will die off after a while if they are removed from the colony.
Fact is however that a bad transom isnt the end of the world for a boat.
And if it was you wouldnt have bought this one.
Yes its best to realize it before you actually buy the boat so that the price can be negotiated accordingly.
Fill it !! Transom fill
do we need video about termites?
Don't like it, don't watch it.
There really is an easy way to fix a transom, with out having to remove the transom
Pour in transoms such as Seacast are inconsistent and unreliable for high horsepower applications.
Just buy an all coposit fiberglass u won't have to worry bout the transom
You gonna try to replace the transom on it?
It was parted out and sold by the piece when it was determined to also have termites.
I’m 6’4”-315 lbs. if I jumped up and down on someone’s motor while looking at it, they’d probably shoot me. Lol
Your weight is insignificant to what a full size outboard will put on a transom.
Why do they still put plywood in fiberglass boats ? I know, I know, it's cheap.
Marine plywood, when laminated and sealed properly is as strong and durable as any other material. During the 90s it was about keeping cost low and selling boats so transoms didn't get much attention until the early 2000s when Champion, Skeeter, and a few others started developing issues and customers started having to spend a lot of money to have them repaired. This transom I'm doing is sealed all the way around with epoxy, and resin where the glass is applied. This transom should last for many, many years to come as it is better than what the manufacturers used back then. Hope this info helps a little bit.
People and their freakin silicon!
Silicone on boats is a no no. Nothing sticks to silicone, not even silicone.
Planes and boats, your buying the motor. You get the rest of for free
There is some good info you are providing, but also a bad piece of advice to be telling to perspective new boat owner. I mean, honestly, If I was ever selling my boat and someone started to jump on my lower unit.... that wouldn't end well at all. Would you really just let someone just bounce around on the lower unit of your bass boat, like seriously? If someone doesnt know what they are looking at then probably just advise tht they do the right thing and take it to a marine shop to have it professionally inspected, just like you would likely do with a car. I am very confident in the transom of my Skeeter, but nobody is jumping on the lower unit without buying the boat first, then they can abuse it all they want!
You're right, I shouldn't have exaggerated on jumping on someone's lower unit, but I do place my foot on it and apply some pressure to check for upper splash well flexing as well as the bounce to check for flexing around the lower mounting bolts.
I should be more specific in future videos, so I appreciate your feedback and thank you for watching.
Buy a moister meter saves alot of bs
TranZum