Archive for the ‘Boat Repair and Restoration Tips’ Category
Transom Rot Tales
Transom rot is a serious problem that can result from water infiltration into the core of the transom of a boat. Often, wood is used a core material, and is very susceptible to rot caused by exposure to moisture. To reduce the risk of transom rot, you must reduce the number of penetrations into the hull below the waterline. The Stern Saver is perfect for this because you only screw into the block and not the hull.
This section is where those that have had to deal with transom rot could show and tell us their story. We’d like to know how the transom rot occurred, what you did to remedy it and what could have been done to prevent it.
Also, those of you that have “Swiss cheese transoms” with many holes in it, and waterlogged foam core boat owners (Boston Whaler) can tell us about their experiences with water intrusion in this section as well. Pictures are always appreciated.
Mounting Two Transducers on the Same Boat
When mounting two transducers to your boat you will want to make sure that they operate at different wavelengths, or they are both not on at the same time, or spaced far enough apart. The reason for this is the possibility that the transducers can “cross talk” with each other, causing interference. Sonar transducers take electrical signals and turn them into sound waves of particular wavelengths, often 50 and 200 kHz or kilohertz. They send these sound waves, or “echos” down through the water column. As they hit objects under water the echos reflect back and the transducer receives them, amplifies them, and send them to the display unit where it is displayed. It is best to mount the two transducers, using two Stern Savers, on opposite sides of the transom to reduce the amount of cross talk. The only case you would want to mount two transducers near each other would be if one was a standard transducer and the other was a Structure Scan or Side Imaging transducer. In this scenario, having these two types of transducers near each other will allow for them to overlay better on the display screen and provide better imaging and performance.
The Stern Saver Retrofit: For Boats That Already Have Transom Mounted Transducers
The Stern Saver is a great product for new boat owners who are looking for an alternative to drilling holes in their transom below the waterline. It is equally useful for boat owners who already have transom mount transducers mounted directly to the hulls of their boats.
Before the Stern Saver was born, the most widely used method for installing a transducer involved determining the proper location, then drilling two or more holes in the transom, filling the holes with a marine grade silicone sealant, screwing the transducer bracket into those holes and hoping for the best.
Unfortunately, that method compromises the integrity of the hull and puts boat owners at great risk of damage to their boats. Silicone sealant can only do so much, for so long, even if it has been applied correctly. Regardless of what the silicone manufacturers say, silicone does not last long before it begins to separate from the hull material resulting in water exposure. If a transducer gets bumped, it can also put stress on the bracket and cause the screws to move a little and cause the sealant/hull bond to break. Silicone is also only as effective as how well it was applied. If only small amount makes it into the hole, a weak seal could result and water may be allowed in.
The Stern Saver is the perfect solution for boat owners who already have transducers mounted to their boats, but want to seal up those existing holes and start fresh. Then they can swap transducers in the future and not worry about the hole pattern of the brackets not lining up, and eliminating the need to fill and drill new holes. This is very important because many boat owners change sonar units before they change boats, and extra holes will accumulate resulting in what we call “Swiss cheese transom.”
The Stern Saver kit makes it extremely simple to start over with a fresh mounting surface for transducers, speed sensors and bait tank pumps.
Here is how it’s done: First, unscrew all the existing transducer mounting screws and remove the bracket. At this point, there is something very important to look for, moisture. If any water comes out of the holes, stop what you are doing and consult with your local boat repair shop. You do not want to seal up a water-logged transom! If you have a water-logged transom, you may have transom rot as well. It is important to remedy that before you proceed. Once, you have determined that the transom is dry, then use a drill bit that is a slightly larger diameter (by 1/32-1/16”) than the existing holes and bore out the holes with a drill. This will remove the old sealant and expose fresh fiberglass for the resin to bond to. Using the epoxy syringe supplied with the Stern Saver kit, place the tip against the holes a squirt the epoxy into them. To ensure that enough epoxy gets deep into the holes, push it in using a toothpick or a paper clip until the hole appears full of epoxy and void of any air. Once the holes are filled, you can proceed with installing the Stern Saver that same way that you would in a new boat.
By installing the Stern Saver over the existing holes you will seal and conceal existing transducer mounting screw holes and never have to worry about them again, nor drill any more holes below the waterline.
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