Do it yourself transom saver

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We bought a pontoon boat recently and it didn't come w/ a transom saver on the tlr,so decided to build my own. I think it will work as good as a factory made one.                                        MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:looks good ChuckASME Pressure Vessel welder
Reply:Nice job.Don't do want I did.   I make a transom saver out of alum. for my new boat, about the third time out I forgot to take it off and lost it in the lake !!!!!  The  v  lower unit end had a bunge cord a round it,   held till about 10 mph then hit the prop !!   That was a fun day.daye
Reply:Looks like factory.DavidReal world weldin.  When I grow up I want to be a tig weldor.
Reply:NICE job.  As DavidR said, looks like factory.Are you open to a suggestion?MM200 w/Spoolmatic 1Syncrowave 180SDBobcat 225G Plus - LP/NGMUTT Suitcase WirefeederWC-1S/Spoolmatic 1HF-251D-1PakMaster 100XL '68 Red Face Code #6633 projectStar Jet 21-110Save Second Base!
Reply:Originally Posted by tigmuskyNice job.Don't do want I did.   I make a transom saver out of alum. for my new boat, about the third time out I forgot to take it off and lost it in the lake !!!!!  The  v  lower unit end had a bunge cord a round it,   held till about 10 mph then hit the prop !!   That was a fun day.daye
Reply:Originally Posted by duaneb55NICE job.  As DavidR said, looks like factory.Are you open to a suggestion?
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusDuane, I'm always open to suggestions.Fire Away.                              Thanks,                                          Mike
Reply:That's a good ideaDuane,and I can add that to the bracket w/o any major changes. just require a little more paint.The bolts are just grade 5's.                                  Thanks,                                             Mike  I also have a question for you "tiggers". There are some hairline cracks forming in the bottom of the transom in the corners just above the 'vee "trough. I'm going to find a good tig weldor to fix it. I'm just wondring if he should add a little somrthing to move the fllex out of that corner. If needed I can take some closeup pics.Last edited by mla2ofus; 09-29-2008 at 10:38 PM.Ol' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:As good as a factory one? Probably better, my friend. I found them cumbersome to use. Yours looks mighty fine.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Nice and clean looking design.  About those transom cracks ...Yes, cracks are not a good sign.  Cracked welds mean bad weld or bad design or both.  Have any pics of the cracks and where in/on the transom they are?  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Originally Posted by MoonRiseNice and clean looking design.  About those transom cracks ...Yes, cracks are not a good sign.  Cracked welds mean bad weld or bad design or both.  Have any pics of the cracks and where in/on the transom they are?
Reply:Uh-oh!!!!!That's not good at all.  You didn't have to draw arrows at all, those cracks are pretty easy to see.  Nice close-ups.I'd say remove the cracks (carbide burr, etc) back to clean 'solid' metal and then TIG fill them (or pulse spray GMAW).  Yes to beefing up the transom corners somehow.  You have access or somehow can get to the inside of the transom area?  If yes, then I'd probably say to run aluminum angle on the inside corners and weld in place and run gussets in the corners and maybe also a piece of angle as a 'rib' along the bottom horizontal edge of the transom plate/sheet to stiffen and reinforce that edge as well.  If you can't get to the inside of the transom, then you'd have to do all your reinforcing on the outside of the transom and hull.  It's a pontoon boat, so it isn't like it's a speed racer so the slight addition drag of external reinforcement won't be too bad.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:After owning my own pontoon boat....I wonder if those cracks were caused by running ashore?Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v  Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Originally Posted by Joker11After owning my own pontoon boat....I wonder if those cracks were caused by running ashore?
Reply:DuaneB, here's the change I made on the bracket. That should take the strain off those bolts.There was about an eighth inch gap between the two, so it got a 100% penetration w/ only welding one side.               Thanks again,                                     MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:Originally Posted by mla2ofusDuaneB, here's the change I made on the bracket. That should take the strain off those bolts.There was about an eighth inch gap between the two, so it got a 100% penetration w/ only welding one side.               Thanks again,                                     Mike
Reply:To all you that gave advice on the transom cracks. I should have looked closer before getting alarmed. There's already plenty of reinforcement built inside. The cracks stop where the reinforcement begins,however I'll keep a close eye on them to see if they travel any further. Come to think of it I think I'll drill a small hole at the end of each one to see if goes beyond that. Is this a good idea?                                 Thanks,                                             MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:A crack is a failure that has already started.  It also indicates that design/materials/workmanship were inadequate for the loads, and hence failure started.I much prefer to not tempt Murphy, and to not have an already started crack just sitting there egging him on.And an existing crack is also a stress concentration that further failure will often propagate from.You say those cracks stop right at the (interior) reinforcement?  To me that says that the reinforcement -should- have gone all the way to the edge of the transom plate and not stopped an inch short!I'd still say to grind out the cracks to 'clean' metal, weld the cracks, and then run at least a small piece of doubler/reinforcement at those corners.  The best laid schemes ... Gang oft agley ...
Reply:Thanks,Moonrise. I'll go ahead and get it done.                                  MikeOl' Stonebreaker  "Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes"Hobart G-213 portableMiller 175 migMiller thunderbolt ac/dc stick Victor O/A setupMakita chop saw
Reply:I agree with Moonrise; the crack is not a big issue right now, but before it gets worse, go ahead and fix it, and then add some kind of reinforcement. The one drawback of aluminum- it doesn't like repeated flex on a weld. Spreading the load was a big part of my engine box being so overbuilt, I had issues with the old one. At least it should be an easy fix.And then, after so much work...... you have it in your hand, and you look over to your side...... and the runner has run off. Leaving you holding the prize, wondering when the runner will return.
Reply:Originally Posted by Rojodiablo ... The one drawback of aluminum- it doesn't like repeated flex on a weld.  ...