Screw holes through transom for swim deck

[thunder550]

I mentioned in another thread that I've had a water leak since I had the swim deck installed. I got in with my bore scope tonight and got a couple pics where the screws came through on the inside of the transom. On the port side, it almost looks like they didn't pre-drill wide enough and blistered the resin around the screw. What do you guys think? I'm going to attempt to re-seal these tomorrow with some 5200, just not sure if I should be concerned with water seeping into the transom? I think my year is all composite...?

Port side lower screw side angle

portlower1.jpg

Port side lower screw from the front

portlower2.jpg

Port side upper screw

portupper.jpg

[thunder550]

Starboard side looks better:

Upper screw

stbdupper.jpg

Lower screw

stbdlower.jpg

[Big Block Power]

I guess I'm surprised that they didn't bolt them in. Why lag bolts. I would be concerned that the gel coat is going to crack also. They should have tappered the gel so the bolt doesn't really touch it on the edge and cause it to crack. Yes there shouldn't be any wood back there but you still don't want water getting between the layers. I myself would remove everything and redo it. Sorry. I could be way off and it's on to mount it that way. Heck they make thousands of these swim platforms.

[thunder550]

I think the reason for that is the holes open into the inside of the stringers, so it would be pretty difficult to position a washer and nut on the inside. That's the reason for the borescope, I couldn't get in there to take a pic with my phone. The stbd side someone with skinny arms could have gotten to, but the port side would have been damn near impossible. I'll pull the lag bolts out tomorrow and pull the support brackets off and see what's underneath tomorrow.

Went back and found a quote from this post where I was asking about wood in Cobalts, maybe I don't have a composite transom. Ugh.
viewtopic.php?f=47&t=641

I received this information recently from a Cobalt customer service rep:

I have been here at the factory for over 35 years and spent 15 of it building the boats.
-We actually did not start using fiberglass stringers until the 252 came out in 1994. The composite liner floor came out at that time, but only on the 252.
-Every new model after that had the liner floor and fiberglass stringers with the exception of the 190 that came out in 1996.
-In 1997, we began to install a composite foam transom on our boats, replacing the wood transom.

We have always used marine grade plywood in the construction of our boats. It is supposed to be resistant to water intrusion, but we ignored that and covered it first with resin, and once it was installed in the boat, we covered it with fiberglass.

[Big Block Power]

I think the reason for that is the holes open into the inside of the stringers, so it would be pretty difficult to position a washer and nut on the inside. That's the reason for the borescope, I couldn't get in there to take a pic with my phone. The stbd side someone with skinny arms could have gotten to, but the port side would have been damn near impossible. I'll pull the lag bolts out tomorrow and pull the support brackets off and see what's underneath tomorrow.

Went back and found a quote from this post where I was asking about wood in Cobalts, maybe I don't have a composite transom. Ugh.
viewtopic.php?f=47&t=641

I received this information recently from a Cobalt customer service rep:

I have been here at the factory for over 35 years and spent 15 of it building the boats.
-We actually did not start using fiberglass stringers until the 252 came out in 1994. The composite liner floor came out at that time, but only on the 252.
-Every new model after that had the liner floor and fiberglass stringers with the exception of the 190 that came out in 1996.
-In 1997, we began to install a composite foam transom on our boats, replacing the wood transom.

We have always used marine grade plywood in the construction of our boats. It is supposed to be resistant to water intrusion, but we ignored that and covered it first with resin, and once it was installed in the boat, we covered it with fiberglass.

Yea see what you have one you get them off and easier to seal up.

[thunder550]

"If you want it done right you gotta do it yourself"

I am nearly always disappointed with the quality of work when I let someone else do something for me. Sigh.

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[Bfun220]

I totally agree with you.
Time to do it right.

[Big Block Power]

Oh my Gosh! And that's what they do for a living. I think I can read your mind. That's why when I brought my boat to the canvas shop I paid extra for the best and didn't want that to happen so I asked him how they drilled the holes do it wouldn't crack and he has a special bit that champers the gel. I really didn't want to add covers to my boat because I didn't want gel cracks but I not the bullet. I was afraid of that when I saw the inside of your boat.

[thunder550]

Going to try and through-bolt this thing. Any suggestions for cleaning up the damaged gelcoat underneath, or the damage is already done and don't worry about it?

[Ytmsn]

Holy Cow. That would make me puke.. So are you going to go back to swimdeck? They need to make this right. If you posted those pics on any FB page and told what happened it could go viral and hurt them big-time. I'd sure see what they are going to do about it.

[Ytmsn]

I wouldn't do anything just yet. It's off season so you have time. Good Lord..

They need to be responsible for that damage to your transom. Maybe it's just me though. I'm really pissed and it's not even my boat!

[Big Block Power]

Going to try and through-bolt this thing. Any suggestions for cleaning up the damaged gelcoat underneath, or the damage is already done and don't worry about it?

I would contact swim platforms. They know what they did as they did it to thousands of boats but most don't take them back of hopefully because from leaking. It looks like they just used normal silicone also.
The cracks are going to keep going. You have to drill a tiny hole at the end to try and stop them. To do it right needs to be ground down and new gel coat. Could use. This it says it will Stop it but. The longer it sits it off water the better it is.
http://magicezy.com/hairline-fix/

[NautiGirl]

Oh wow that makes me sick to look at that. Not something I would expect from the actual manufacturer of the product.

[thunder550]

Other side. Never noticed the HUGE gelcoat crack next to it either...I wish I hadn't gone looking now Looks too far away to be related...I think?? gotta go dig through some older pics and see if it shows.

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[Bfun220]

I agree with the others that you should contact swim platform . But for me it would be hard to bring it back and have the same hacks have another round with my boat.