Using Marine Tex to repair a motor mount

Discussion in 'Materials' started by David Grimes, Jul 30, 2022.

  1. David Grimes
    Joined: Jul 2022
    Posts: 10
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Clarinda, IA. 51632

    David Grimes Love The Lake

    Well the Marine Tex idea got canned!! I am watching the whole series of You Tube Videos by FriscoBoater on the 220 Sea Ray boat. Jay is very through in how he did his Sea Ray. In fact almost Over Board!! Pun intended. LOL
    I sure appreciate everyones help on this site. And when I get the chance to start work on my 1984 Glastron Carlson CVX-16 I will be posting again. Also I have a cool old 1974 Sea Ray Sea Sprite I want to give it a second life as well. I found a full set of almost like new seats for it. Too many irons in fire!! HA HA HA!
     
  2. David Grimes
    Joined: Jul 2022
    Posts: 10
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Clarinda, IA. 51632

    David Grimes Love The Lake

    What I am having a hard time is understanding how Mariah could have built such a beautiful boat and why is it rotting out. A freind asked if I checked under the hull to see if there could be a hole or crack allowing water in. ????? But I did not find any!
     
  3. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
    Posts: 2,929
    Likes: 573, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 506
    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    It is more than thirty years old, how many 30 year old cars do you see on the road everyday.

    Wood in a boat can last a very long time, but get it wet and the clock starts ticking. A motor mount that's bolted into wood only needs to allow a tiny amount of water in for rot to start taking over.
     
  4. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
    Posts: 7,598
    Likes: 1,674, Points: 123, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: usa

    fallguy Senior Member

    Those boats are all made with polyester resin. Not waterproof.

    Add a quotient of some po put a screw in somewhere on the deck into the stringer and water found a way.

    Ingress almost always happens from above.

    Common culprits are mounts for cables, battery hold downs, anything at all that punctures.

    And of course, standing water in polyester can also make its way in..
     
  5. ondarvr
    Joined: Dec 2005
    Posts: 2,929
    Likes: 573, Points: 113, Legacy Rep: 506
    Location: Monroe WA

    ondarvr Senior Member

    Fallguy, I've got to somehow get this out of people's thought processes. Nothing is waterproof, there are only varying degrees of water resistance.

    Yes epoxy is more water resistant than polyester, but at any reasonable laminate thickness polyester would be considered waterproof.

    Drill a hole into a resin and glass covered block of wood and it offers a pathway for water to get in. It makes no difference which resin is used, it will rot in the exact same amount of time.

    I've spent decades in shops witnessing how production boats are built, it's safe to say that resin choice has little to do with how and when the wood gets wet and then rots away. The typical attention to detail and quality of workmanship is so low that sometimes it's amazing the boat lasted the thirty years it took for the rotten wood to become a problem.

    In this case, the motor mount may or may not have had some sort of sealant on it when it was screwed in place. But even if it did, how long would a sealant be expected to last in the bilge being exposed to heat, cold, vibration, water, fuel, oil, age and then never being checked.

    The biggest causes of rotten wood are unsealed holes and extremely thin laminates, well, I should include wood not covered with any laminate at all too. Many times, especially when a chopper gun is used, the laminate thickness varies from 1/2" to nothing but a coat of resin, then it's rolled so poorly that water can pass right through it.

    The builder could use the best epoxy available, or the cheapest old polyester resin he could find and it would make no difference in how long the wood lasted.
     
  6. David Grimes
    Joined: Jul 2022
    Posts: 10
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Clarinda, IA. 51632

    David Grimes Love The Lake

    fallguy I did fing some added mounts for both a battery strap and also to hold speaker wires. And one large lag bolt for a "D" ring right beside the port motor mount. Hun!! you got me thinking so I am looking for othet non factory items that were added.
     

  7. David Grimes
    Joined: Jul 2022
    Posts: 10
    Likes: 0, Points: 1
    Location: Clarinda, IA. 51632

    David Grimes Love The Lake

    It is 30 years old but so far I can't yet think of scraping it out. So I will work on it as my old body allows! I am 43 years older than this baby! So I will take my time. I have 4 more boats that also need work. I think I will choose the best one and be able to at least get a boat in the water! Then work on the ones I want to sell! Thanks for your input.
     
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.