2008 280EC Rotten Transom

Well folks, I was just finishing up the job replacing the swivel shaft seal using the JR Marine kit (which is fantastic btw) when I discovered something I hoped to never see.  Was cleaning up the area where the steering arm goes through the transom assembly on the inside of the boat. Moved the wiring harness that runs across the top of the transom where it transitions to the bottom of the swim platform. Discovered the thin fibreglass layer was cracked along the entire top edge and the wood soaked and rotten. Chipped off some fibreglass lower down around the transom plate and it's soaked all the way down.

Through more investigation discovered that water has been coming in through retractable cleats on the corners of the swim platform, then running across the swim platform and then down into the bilge.  At some point there must have been a defect or something in the fibreglass which allowed some water in and it's just continued to get worse with time.

Didn't notice it when I bought the boat this year since it was under the wiring harness. Man do I feel like an idiot. 

Had my local shop take a look at it yesterday. They are going to attempt to repair early in the spring. Pull the engine, pull transom assembly, cut out the fibreglass on the inside and just hope its only the inner most piece of wood that's been affected. 
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Comments

  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,882 ✭✭✭✭
    My Riker 235 had similar rot.  The starboard side of the motor mount/stinger was solid but the water was able to wick to the port side and took out the wood under the batteries and water heater. It extended to the wood that goes between the fuel tank and engine compartment.  Also took out wood half way up the port side of the fuel tank. 

    I had to remove the aft bed floor to access all this.   I put in a fuel tank while it was out and easily accessible. 

    In other words, I'd try to get the shop to look at it over the winter while business is slow and not come spring rush.  Will give you time to prepare for any unexpected costs.  I did all the work myself and I'd estimate about 2500 to 3000 in materials including fuel tank. 

    While I doubt yours is bad I have seen the rot travel from leaky swim ladder all the way to the v berth. 




  • Squatch68Squatch68 Member Posts: 62 ✭✭
    edited October 2021
    That's crazy @PickleRick, amazing how water can seep and travel and create quite a mess! Smart to replace the fuel tank while you are in there.  I am making a list of things I want done while the engine is pulled. 

    The hope was they would be able to do it over the winter but unfortunately the boat is just slightly too large to fit into their heated shop. They don't have time to do it before the snow flies and need temperatures to stay above freezing overnight. Early spring is as good as its going to get I'm afraid.

    It's a job I wouldn't mind tackling myself but there is no good way for me to get the 496 out myself. 
  • GrahamuGrahamu Member Posts: 862 ✭✭✭
    Surprised a survey did not pick up on that, most surveyors will definitely check the transom area especially with a drive attached for moisture. I had high readings and posted about it over last winter. Make sure your shop is experienced with this type of repair it can get very expensive. 
  • LaReaLaRea Member Posts: 7,505 ✭✭✭✭✭
    @Squatch68 thanks for the reminder:  I had written up a list of jobs to consider during engine removal, but forgot to post it.

    https://rinkerboats.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/13167/jobs-to-consider-if-you-remove-your-engine-s
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Not sure how the 280 is built but the 330/350 of the same era has open unsealed wood at the base of the transom where the garbord plug is and at the stringers where the holes are cut to allow water to migrate to the center bilge area. 

    I believe these are some of the concessions of having a boat that was built to a very affordable price-point. 
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • rasburyrasbury Member Posts: 8,218 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    I had to get the motor out of my 270....I un did everything, took it down to the marina and they put some chains on it and lifted it right out. I had a U Haul trailer, built a engine stand of sorts with wheels, took it home and rolled it into the garage. Now a far as dealing with a boat with no motor and living where it snows, your on your own from there as I live in FL! They used the fork lift they use for dry storage lifting....in and out was 200 bucks I think it was...
  • kordokordo Member Posts: 229 ✭✭
    YYRC, are you sure that the garboard plug area and the stringers in the engine room are not sealed?  It seems to me that if that was the case, we would have a very large number of Rinkers with rotten stringers and transoms.  I could see maybe a few boats built where sealing these areas was missed but it would be shocking if this was Rinker's policy.  
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Neither my 330 nor my 350 are sealed at the cut-through for the stringers. The transom cutout at the garbord plug does not appear to be sealed, either. 

    Reach your hand down to the stringer cut-through and you can feel the wood. 
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • Aqua_AuraAqua_Aura Member Posts: 2,531 ✭✭✭✭
    I know the stringer isn't sealed but I can't imagine the drain area not being sealed. How did you verify this did you remove the plug and the base?
    1997 Bayliner 3988
  • Michael TMichael T Member Posts: 7,227 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    My 2014 EC 360 was sealed in both areas. There were a couple of areas in the bilge that water should not have pooled under any circumstances and I marine epoxied them with two coats just to be safe. When I pulled the engine of a the Rinker that we built from a 350 mag to a 383 I sanded and marine epoxied (two coats) the entire bilge. When the engine is out I'd also replace the oil pan.
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭

    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    I took this pic today. You can see that the transom wood is “painted” with resin and not sealed to the hull next to the stringer. You can also see that the upper hole in the stringer is sealed (tho cracked over time) but the lower stringer holes were not sealed. 

    Just seems a bit sloppy to me. 
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • Aqua_AuraAqua_Aura Member Posts: 2,531 ✭✭✭✭
    I forgot you have a twin engine so you can see your drain from the inside. 
    1997 Bayliner 3988
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    What a PITA boats are
  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,882 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Ever heard of pursuit boats?  Not exactly a budget brand line of boats.   They are wood cored with balsa, in the hull.  Below the water line.   

    Keep the mind the infusion process in which they apply the resin 100× better than the dreaded  run away as fast as you can boats from the 60s and 70s.

    Wood is strong and saves weight.   

    Even pursuit has examples of some Friday boats.   Happens in all brands, rinker is no exception.   Im willing to bet rinker had less boo boo boats  percentage wise than sea ray. 


  • Aqua_AuraAqua_Aura Member Posts: 2,531 ✭✭✭✭
    I would like to see pictures as well. 
    1997 Bayliner 3988
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    A dock neighbour showed me his 330 two years ago. The inner transom skin was cracked exactly as @Squatch68 described above. The 330 owner said when he removed the screw that holds the oil drain hose in place, water drips out. 

    For us northern folk, when the boat goes out for winter, I believe the water in the transom freezes and expands and further cracks the inside skin of the transom. Cycle repeats each season, getting progressively worse. 

    All said, I’m not sure where the 330 owner’s leak was from - obviously many possibilities - but his transom was saturated. I didn’t have these saturation issues with my former 330 or current 350 but both have some horizontal cracks on the inner transom. 
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Rotten or not, it is a design flaw and/or quality issue.
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    YYZRC said:
    Rotten or not, it is a design flaw and/or quality issue.
    You need to be banned now. Bad mouthing Rinker like that
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Guilty. Nothing is perfect, except a Grand Design RV of course!
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • Handymans342Handymans342 Member Posts: 10,375 ✭✭✭✭✭
    YYZRC said:
    Guilty. Nothing is perfect, except a Grand Design RV of course!
    How did you know????
  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,882 ✭✭✭✭
    My parents have a sub 10 yr old 5th wheel that is proof of RV water leaks.  Sadly the full coverage insurance didn't cover damage.  

    It now sits under a 12k car port.  

    If you have just a wet transom you may be able to remove all transom fittings and store in a heated storage.  Wet doesn't mean rot but if caught soon enough may be able to be dried out. 
  • J3ffJ3ff Member Posts: 4,054 ✭✭✭✭✭
    YYZRC said:
    Rotten or not, it is a design flaw and/or quality issue.
    You need to be banned now. Bad mouthing Rinker like that
    Well I'm still here. :P I'll never own another boat with anything mercury on it and I prob wont ever own a rinker again! 
  • Aqua_AuraAqua_Aura Member Posts: 2,531 ✭✭✭✭
    I agree with the Mercury part of your comment. 🙂
    1997 Bayliner 3988
  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,882 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Screw merc...its Konrad or nothing now.  

    Big duramax 500hp 6.6 twin turbo in a 21 ft runabout 

    My question is, who's gonna bank roll this new float for us?


  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm with Jeff.  Would avoid Merc at all costs. If I ever have another I/O I hope I can find the boat that I want with Volvo power.
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • YYZRCYYZRC Member Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Pros to Volvo:
    No cool fuel to deal with. 
    Smart impeller location easier to change (do not need to be a contortionist). 
    Smart shift control cable arrangement easier to change (do not need to remove drive). 
    No leaky steering pins. 

    Cons:
    Parts harder to find.
    Digital display not as good/versatile as VesselView. 
    2008 350 EC on Georgian Bay
  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,882 ✭✭✭✭
    Alswagg said:
    Pickle, I’ve got 4 diesel we service one Cummins, 3 Volvo’s.  All are nasty to work on yes they just keep running.  The Volvo’s hour meter stopped several years ago at 7,000 hrs. All three in the same hull.   The Cummins has now over 5,000 hours.  The only real issues we had is injector pumps and lines on the Cummins.  The Volvo’s have coolant leaks from the thermostat housings which are aluminum.  Otherwise they just keep working. 
    Old volvo 290 outdrives?  

    Military  RIBs  paired the Cummins 12 v to the Konrad.   I'd love to have a 12v 6bt, I just don't want that weight.  The duramax is @750 lbs vs the 1100 lbs 12bt. 

    Sadly thanks to the epa shops are not wanting to send out the programing in order to marinize the duramax.   I'd like to ditch the turbo on one, replace it with a Whipple charger. Nerf down the horse power to 250 to 275 so make both a reliable long lasting motor that also won't eat the bravo 2.


  • PickleRickPickleRick Member Posts: 3,882 ✭✭✭✭
    edited October 2021
    Ive not found a home for my 290sp yet but I've held onto it because of its stellar reputation. 

    Wasn't this rated at one time to take regular sae 30 motor oil for the drive oil?
  • Squatch68Squatch68 Member Posts: 62 ✭✭
    Sorry folks I've been away for a bit. I took some pictures of it all on the phone but that phone decided to give up the smoke, probably the hard fall thanks to my pup. 

    The boat is at the shop now but they won't be able to start it for a few months. The wood is absolutely rotten. Actually crumbling in my fingers. Not much left of the top portion of the outermost piece of wood. Really hope it limited to just that first sheet of plywood. 
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