[Rhodes22-list] Crack in Transom

[Jim Schroll]

I am new to this list and would be glad to go to an archived thread if this topic has been covered before.

We have a 1990 Rhodes 22 which was refurbished by General Boats in the winter of 2015 - 2016.  It has developed a crack completely through the transom, located under (and to the side) of the point where the wheel on the engine lift rests when the engine is lowered.  It appears that the pressure of the engine against that wheel, and then the transom, when motoring in forward gear is the cause of the crack.

I suspect that the engine lift was added sometime after the boat was originally built, and that no reinforcing was added behind (inside the lazarette) the point where the wheel rests on the guide track.  I’m looking for any suggestions from anyone who has faced a similar repair.  My thinking is to leave the engine lift frame in place (the crack does not extend to the frame) while removing both the guide strip on the outside and the lift motor and board it sits on inside the lazarette.  After cleaning the inside and outside surfaces, I would lay a couple of pieces of glass on the outside and three or four on the side to provide a more substantial structure (the transom appears to be no more than 1/4 inch thick where the wheel rests).  I might also try to glass in a new board to both add to the reinforcing and to hold the lift motor.

Does this seem like a reasonable plan of attack, or can someone suggest a better way forward?

Jim Schroll

[cid:08CAC407-8CD9-42BD-BAB6-B33BF57EAC7F at fios-router.home]
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