My Cat 27 is really a submarine in drag

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rsn48

Well, I have a small problem. I had my transom filled in on my 75 Cat 27 and added a bracket (power) to take a new merc 9.9 Big Foot. So far so good, but the fix created a problem. The drain hole through the transom was significantly reduced in width so that it plugs up at the slightest dirt going through the hole. I will be expanding this hole but here is my subdued rant. Today, after many weeks of rain in the sometimes wet west coast, I went down to check out the "old girl." Well, the water was about 4 inches up in from the bottom; water was everywhere. I know the water is coming in from the interior compartment in front of the transom where the gas and propane tank go. The problem is the holes have widened where the screws that hold the cords down, kind of like a bungee cord, to secure the gas tank and propane tank, so water is allowed in. Also a very wide hole was made to allow the copper tube that delivers the propane to the stove. When the water fills in the compartment housing the gas and propane tank to a certain level, the water comes gushing in through the copper tube hole. When I visited today I spent several hours dumping out water (no electric bilge on these puppies, nor no place to put one - what were they thinking). When I saw my boat today I thought perhaps it had a secret desire to submerge and join its distant cousine - the submarine - in the murky depths. Has anyone else experienced problems with the compartment in front on the transom leaking water into the boat? It will probably be some one from the Pacific North West since we get so much rain.
 
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Mark

Leaking from the outside - in

Greeting from the NW, We have the same problem on our newly acquired 1979 Catalina 27. Our motor well drain clears the outboard ok but the control cables and other wires that are routed from the well into the inside, weep water :( I am going to use the West Marine cable plugs that fill the gap between the cables and the holes. I'll let you know how this works out. As far as our boats turning into subs - with a little work and sealing they should be ok. We have been chasing out the mildew, changing stinking head hoses and I have ordered the window re-sealing kits from Catalina. We also put in the good old Dryzairs to help wick up the mositure. This is a big problem here in the NW. More information later to you and all Catalina 27 owners as I continue cleaning/sealing and upgrading (u-bolts, spreader brackets). Mark
 
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rsn48

I look forward to your battle against mildew/leaks

I look forward to your further posts on this subject. IF you were hit by the same rain over the past 3 weeks like we have, and I'm sure you have, if it can leak, it will leak on our Wet West Coast.
 
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curtis

leaks on c27

my '74 c27 leaks through the rear compartment hatch when docked.the solution is to leave the drain plug out while moored.this allows the water to drain out of the boat as the drain hole is above the water line.when under sail the drain hole is below the water line so you have to be sure to install the drain plug prior to leaving the dock.
 
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Mark

Leaking again

Wow, I did not even know that the transom drain had a plug - mine does not. I have noticed that water sloses around while sailing so I will put one in from now on. I will add this to my list of projects :) Another thing I need to do is re-secure the lazarette cover as my Yamaha outboard will not clear when raised. The previous owner had removed the cover and never corrected this problem. Mark
 
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rsn48

Further problem

I'll ask this question here but start a new thread if it doesn't get a response. In my transom drain hole there is no "plug;" just a hole straight through. The problem I had was I had some one fill in the the rectangular cut out for the motor on my 75 Cat 27, the chap did this very well. You can't tell there was a rectangular hole for the motor any more. However, when he was fibre glassing and gel coating the back of the transom, some "glass" got into the drain hole and partially plugged it so that very little would drain out and the hole would plug very easily from dirt, shells (birds) etc. I went down today and had the boat centre drill out the hole, but now I think I have another problem. When he drilled out the hole with a 1/2 inch bit, I saw wood come out which leads me to believe that the transom is wood sandwiched with fibreglass; is this true? If it is, I have to figure out how to seal the edges of the hole so the plywood doesn't absorb water. The boat is in the water; this wouldn't be a problem if the boat was "on the hard." So is the transom plywood sandwiched with fibreglass?
 

amory

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May 22, 2005
6
- - Old Greenwich, CT
got any pictures of your motor mount/transom?

rsn48, can you elaborate on how the transom was filled, and the type of motor lift you have installed, with pictures if possible? I am thinking about the same idea for my 15 hp outboard. I have been eying the ez slide from breeze industries, but its pretty expensive. A traditional motor mount would suite me better, but it seems like it would have to mount right where the transom cutout is, so that the cutout would need to be filled in a very strong, structurally sound way. The ez slide is good for the catalina because the mounting points are at the top and bottom of the transom, away from the cutout.
 

amory

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May 22, 2005
6
- - Old Greenwich, CT
ps you need to seal the edges of that hole

Regardless of whether there is wood in the transom, you need to seal the hole you drilled with epoxy or the transom will delaminate from water entry. I have assumed the transom to be wood laminated with fiberglass, based on the overall thickness.
 
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Peter

Yep, there's wood in there

there is a wood sandwich, at least thru the bottom of the transom, across the area where the orIginal "hole in the transom" motor mount is/was.
 
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rsn48

response to armoury

I don't have a photo, but if I did the transom would look like most boats transoms. I had a chap do it who is well known for his fiberglassing and gel coat abilities, especially paint matching (actually the hardest part). He filled in the hole with plywood and Fiberglas, then gel coated over. The power bracket I used is around $1200, maybe a little less. I wanted a power bracket so I didn't have to hassle a manual bracket in rough water (been there, done that) and with the newer 4 cycle motors, the manual bracket would be even heavier to fiddle with so I decided to pass and go power. Its great, three seconds on the down button and the motor is in the water, three seconds on the up button and the motor is up. The bracket is mounted roughly where the old cut out was. Structurally the cut out section, now part of the solid transom, is very strong. And thanks for the help folks, I will be increasing the size of the hole, putting in a through plug and using and adhesive to hold it in and seal the cut out section from water.
 
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