How to check for a wet Transom
 

A friend has a 27 Avanti,single and he is getting some stress cracks around the dive he feels that the transom could be wet.Any suggestions on what he should do to check and see what the problem could be.Boat was painted all over with Imron a few years back and I told him it could just be flex marks in the paint.Any suggestion would be a help.Thanks

short of a meter...tap on it and listen., crawl in the back and see if you can poke into the wood around the gimble

Meters are kinda suspect anyhow. Tap with a plastic hammer all around. If you go from tap to thump, you got a bad spot. You could also drill a couple of exploratory holes on the inside and see what comes out. Make sure to seal with a little epoxy or 5200 when you're done (if you're not cutting the whole transom out :eek: ) .

I am no expert, and I am sure a qualified pro can chime in here, but I have had my share of transom repairs so.... basically, here's what I would do......A good quality moisture meter CAN be helpful if you can get your hands on one and do a little tapping with the handle end of a screwdriver and listen for any "hollow" sounds that are or may be inconsistant with other areas of the transom. Take some 1/4" plug samples from inside the transom...under the drives, under the exhaust ports, under the trim-tabs, etc. or in the areas that you suspect.

Also, remove the tailpipes and probe the wood that is sandwiched between the inner and outer fiberglass layers---this is usually a good place to inspect for water entry and water damage and other "cut-out" areas, because from what I have learned most boat builders do not seal or properly seal these areas to keep water from entering. Even repair shops can overlook these critical areas when finishing up on repairs. There are many other inspection points, but this is only one of them. A little more time and attention to repairs like totally encapsulating a stringer, or transom piece, or bulkhead piece with fiberglass can go a long way to prevent future water damage. Make sure all un-used screw/bolt holes, etc, are filled with a marine grade putty/filler. Time, fiberglass, resin and 3M5200 are your friends.