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Need a Welding Shop, Again. Transom crack that was repaired last year by Boatyard in Athens, is cracked again. About a 2 inch crack center of weld. Anyone know of a shop that can do this, would be appreciated.
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Picture would be nice. What type of boat ?
If it cracked right in center of weld I’d say you have a bigger problem somewhere else. A broken transom brace or something allowing it to flex to much. If you could take a picture close up of cracked weld and another of the area around it maybe Furflyn could lend his expertise. He does a lot of aluminum welding and repair work.
Come to Albertville. A crack in the center of the weld could be weld quality issues, or it could be the alloy wire that they used, or it could be a sign of larger issues. No way for me to know without laying eyes on it. We repair aluminum tanker semi trailers 5 days a week.
Triton VT 17. Bought boat new in 2007. In showroom shape still, kept inside. Triton voided warranty last year, claimed trailer bunks were 6” to short. Trailer came with boat from Boatyard in Athens. Couldn’t convince Triton it was that way when purchased. Will get pic when I get back to Harvest( working in Florence next 2 days).
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If it cracked again in orignal repair, the stress point where crack orignal occurred was not addressed . need to understand why there is that much stress at that place, then it can be fixed correctly.
Are u using a transom saver
Boat yard moved mast forward but Binks still don’t come all the way to back of boat? They said it was ok but could that still be causing stress? Wife is gonna send me some pics shortly and I will get them up. Thanks for advice guys!
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Always use transom saver! Brother and I took boat to Weeks Bay in SA 2 weeks ago Redfishing. Didn’t leak then. I went to Bear Creek Last Thursday and almost sunk boat. Started spider rigging and didn’t pay attention. Stood up to walk to back and get water from cooler and there was 3 “ of water in deck and transom was within 2 “ of going under!
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Good luck,don't go fer a deal get it repaired by pro!!!!Sent from my SM-G960U using Crappie.com Fishing mobile appQuote:
Originally Posted by rcfillingham
Thanks Sharphook. I’m gonna as soon as I can find one. The Boatyard are not I guess. I take my 7yo grandson out a lot, so I can’t take any chances.
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FurFlyin, ill get bunks straightened out and pm you. pics will be up in a bit.
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Here are some pics
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From the pictures it looks like the bunks on your trailer aren’t long enough so your transom weight isn’t supported going down the road.
EDIT: also if that is the same area that was welded not long ago, someone ground the weld down trying to hide it and that made it very weak. Welds should look like welds, not slick.
And another edit: I didn’t read your reply about the bunks until after I posted my last comment. I noticed it in the pictures. If you look close at that 2nd picture, you can see a shiny “bunk shaped” spot on the bottom of the boat where the boat has sat further forward than it sits now. That bunk needs to come all the way to the edge of the trailer and “a little long” sure won’t hurt anything.
My Xpress will load short too if I don’t power it on the trailer. I have to load it under power to get the bunks lined up right. It’s a common problem with aluminum boats and most of it stems from an adjustable winch tower. There’s enough “slop” in those adjustable towers that they lean back if you winch the boat on and push forward if you load under power. On my trailer the way I load the boat can make up to 3” difference in where the bunks terminate under the boat.
Not sure why that spot is shiny, but the boat is all the way to the mast and the mast is all the way forward. I’m gonna put new bunks on and make them about 10 inches longer so they set under transom. They used to be even further forward. Boat yard moved mast forward and told me it wasn’t necessary to lengthen bunks. I think that’s what caused second crack! Is it able to be repelled ifbunks are fixed?
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Rewelded i mean
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After rereading your post Furflyin, I get what you mean now. I drive the boat all the way to the stop as a rule, but who knows? Mast on trailer seems pretty stiff, and I checked bolts earlier this fall!
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Yessir, from what I can see it's fixable.Quote:
Originally Posted by rcfillingham
Thank you sir!
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FYI, your transducer and all silicone around it will have to be removed and all moisture will have to be out of the boat/crack for that to be welded.
Got it!
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That weld looked like it had been ground down thin. Didn't look like they had veed it any either
Furflyin, I use to weld alot yrs. ago. Would you heat first and find the ends of crack , then drill a hole at each end of crack ? Would you weld with 4043 in spool gun or tigweld with 6063 and straight argon? If my memory is rite don't some use helium for a hard weld ? I've got a 3035 spoolmate and just burn 4043 with str. argon
Yep, bunks should always go past the transom on an aluminum boat.
If the boat was sold that way new, then they put the wrong trailer under it.
We don't have any spoolguns but yes, I'd use 4043 alloy wire in our low frequency pulse MIG welders. We use a push/pull wire feeding set up with Alumni-Pro guns. The Miller 350P welders are new technology for us. We upgraded last year from Deltaweld's with XR boxes. The pulse welders produce TIG like welds with MIG speed. Great penetration, no spatter and fast. Yes, you always have to find the ends on cracks and drill them out, or at least I require that here. Not sure on the Helium, never tried it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mbsbeek
I suggested to rcliffingham in an attempt to keep him from having to drive over here to try and find a local place that welds up cracked aluminum rims for automobiles. That's going to be done with a TIG welder most times and if someone can TIG aluminum rims, they can handle a boat repair. If he can't find someone I think he's gonna pull it over here. That suggestion goes out to everyone. Find that guy in your town that repairs aluminum rims and let him weld up your boat.
Thomas Welding in Elkmont Al can fix it. Fixed mine. High frequency TIG.
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Hey I went back and re-read everything. Guess how I know Eddie Thomas at Thomas Welding can fix it. Cause I got the same spots on a 2008 VT Triton. I bet if you look on top of the transom....at the motor well you'll find cracks there as well.
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Handy info, Fur. Thanks
Wow like tig but fast like mig .
If u goggle transom crack VT triton
They make a awesome fiber. boat:biggrin
Triton went through a phase where they had transom cracks in some of their glass boats too. Don’t know the years. A fellow driver for a company I worked for had a hard time getting them fixed the first time, and the job looked top notch. Less than a year later some of them began to reappear. He took it back, got it fixed and when he picked it up, he drove straight to the Ranger dealer where he traded it in on a new Ranger 20’. I also know of many Tritons that were trouble free. My guess is that most boat makers have some problems at some point.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mbsbeek
Read this thread just for future info. My Boat is almost new so I checked where the bunks ended and sure enough I need to move it up about 2-3" so transom sits on the bunk.
Came from dealership like this.
Skeet, do you remember where cracks were on fiber boats ? I'd like to know so I can look for them, as we have 8-10 customers with big TR's
Below and outside the transom bracket of the motor, as best I can remember. Dealer labeled them as stress cracks, and I never saw them in person.
Will start looking. Have a customer bringing a 2006 TR-186 this week, he picked up in FL. with 225 merc. for $6000.
Nice. I would have bought that. Nice ride.
I'll get pics.