water coming from transom

[Rick Coles]

Hi all, RE: Bombard Explorer 4.85 FB

A small issue has come up. I was drilling holes for a bracket for my bilge pump towards the bottom of the transom. The two lower holes started producing water as fast as I pulled the drill bit out and ran for about a minute. The hole produced perhaps less than an ounce of water. I am assuming it came in through the outboard mounting bolts.

I can pull the bolts and reseal, or install a small drain plug in the transom well area that drains the water from the transom at whatever intervals.

Ideas, recommendations?

Thanks, Rick

[cgoing]

Have you checked to see if there is water inside the hull? There should be a hull drain plug probably betlow the deck drain on the outsdie of the boat.

[Vandad]

Originally Posted by cgoing

Have you checked to see if there is water inside the hull? There should be a hull drain plug probably betlow the deck drain on the outsdie of the boat.

I agree with the above comment , were you working whilst the boat was floating on the water?

My drain plug is usually open and I hardly see any water coming out of it but once i was working on my transom and because the weight on the stern was more the water started coming from the plug which I knew was rain water in the hull.

[Rick Coles]

Originally Posted by cgoing

Have you checked to see if there is water inside the hull? There should be a hull drain plug probably betlow the deck drain on the outside of the boat.

See attached pic for location arrows of culprits. Well drain is obvious. Inner hull drain in left of photo. The holes I have just drilled are quite a bit higher that the transom drains.

I pull the drain plugs in the transom well every time it's out of the water. I have plugged all of the hatch wells to stop water entering the inner hull. There is no mechanical way to compleye drain the inner hull (yet).

As for your question CGoing, there is no plug of any sort below the deck drain on the outside. I have been pondering some kind of plug on the outside of the transom at a low level. maybe it's time.

[Vandad]

Originally Posted by Rick Coles

See attached pic for location arrows of culprits. Well drain is obvious. Inner hull drain in left of photo. The holes I have just drilled are quite a bit higher that the transom drains.

I pull the drain plugs in the transom well every time it's out of the water. I have plugged all of the hatch wells to stop water entering the inner hull. There is no mechanical way to compleye drain the inner hull (yet).

As for your question CGoing, there is no plug of any sort below the deck drain on the outside. I have been pondering some kind of plug on the outside of the transom at a low level. maybe it's time.

maybe whilst you were drilling the holes it has damaged the plug-seal (the shake to the transom etc.) so you may have to use some fillers to make it watertight.

[Rick Coles]

Hiya Vandad, not sure what you mean

Originally Posted by Vandad

maybe whilst you were drilling the holes it has damaged the plug-seal (the shake to the transom etc.)

I have mearly "opened" up the transom. The water has been held in there. It's the first holes since the ones drilled for the motor install.

Rick

[Erin]

That reminds me of a boat I owned some years back. Very similar drain well arrangement. Mine didn't have a transom drain so I decided to fit one. When drilling the transom for it quite a bit of water came out. I have no idea how it got in there, but it could either have been the engine bolts (which I doubt) or soaked in through some bad fibreglass work hidden from view within the hull. The hull would always end up with some water after rain, and I guess it must have soaked in.

[Vandad]

the water is so clear and looks like rain water...

Can you take a better picture, showing different angles of transom?

[PeterM]

Forgive me for saying but isn't water inside the transom generally a very very bad thing ?

[willk]

Originally Posted by PeterM

Forgive me for saying but isn't water inside the transom generally a very very bad thing ?

Yes, but that's the inside of the transom and it's got a smooth gelcoat finish, so I'm guessing that's it's actually an internal moulding that abutts the "structural" transom which would be glassed on the inside. That would leave a potential cavity of sorts between the two.

A solution will depend on what structure is in there...