Date: 5/16/2008
Name: Carlos #2
email: calden3@msn.com
subject:Grrrr..
Okay, I just put a new motor mount on the boat. When I took out the old mount I noticed NO WATER or moisture anywhere. Yay, I thought. I drilled new holes for the new mount. No water or moisture. Yay.Then, I thought to myself, I really should at least remove and re-caulk the lower gudgeon, as long as I'm tinkering around with the transom.
Uh-oh. I found water. And moisture. No rot, though - just good solid wet wood. So I drilled a bunch more test holes to see how far up the moisture went. It's in a pattern about 10" wide by 8" high up from the bottom of the transom.
I've been drying it out with a heat gun, but it's balsa end-grain, and doesn't enjoy doing the capillary thing. So I might have to get inside and remove the wet wood and replace it. Grrr. I thought I was done with all that when I did the cabin top. Grrr.
So my plan is to wait until tomorrow morning, and grab some more epoxy from West Marine, then investigate the transom. If the wood seems like it's on it's way to drying, or is dry, I can fill the voids with thickened epoxy. Or if it's not really behaving, I might have to rip it out by it's eyeballs and replace. Oh boy, more close-quarters epoxy and grinding work.
Grrr.
Carlos
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