I want to remove the Silknet thunder on my 1989 SR272 Formula, I want to gut the insides and lighten it up, I want to still use it for the swim platform, I will put exhaust tips under it. Has anybody else done this ? Please advise. Thanks

I removed the silent thunder off of my 89’ because of potential damage/rot underneath after being informed from others that there were problems with them doing that. My platform was starting to rot (where it meets the transom) the gaskets around my exhaust were shot (where the pipes entered the platform) and exhaust was leaking out against the transom. Long story short, we refinished the transom, custom built an aluminum platform, put corsa exhaust tips on her and also lost the weight of that heavy thing. I would recommend the same to you……..there is not anything inside that will lose you weight. The exhaust comes out and mixes with water in open channels in the platform to silent it some. Some guys drill holes in the bottom on each side to get rid of water more quickly to make it louder. I did have a thread in this formula section of my entire process if you want to take a look, with pics of it along the way titled “89 silent thunder removal”, I think it will answer a lot of your questions. I can also answer if you have more.

This is the way!

Some will be absolute purists when it comes to the Silent Thunder, but for me as well as anyone that truly understands what this contraption does to the boat, it's something that should never have been put on these boats. The captured water eventually rots out the transom. This is also true of the "boxes" installed under the built-in transoms found on the newer boats (271, 292, 303, 312, 336, 353, and 382).

Pull the platform off the boat and take a sledge to it - you'll feel better.