Tobago 35: Holes in Transom Steps

[kiltym]

Wanted to pass along a bit of info.

On our transom steps, we have a stick-on non-skid on each step. About 6 months ago, I started to notice a perfect circle indent starting to appear on the top most step. There was one on each side, and both perfect circles.

I need to replace this nonskid anyway, so I pulled up the stick on stuff to find a 2" hole saw cut on each top step. These were "filled" with epoxy to seal the hole.

These holes were used to fill the transoms with foam. But, FP did not glass over the holes, simply poured in some epoxy. The issue is, over time, the foam shrinks a bit, and then the epoxy has no support under it, and eventually will crack around the perimeter and fall down a bit, and allow water into the foam.

So, if you see this happening, now you know what it is.

I am glassing over the holes to fix it properly.

In the photo, the left is the "plug" made from epoxy that simply came out, and the right is the hole and you can see the foam.

[zeehag]

wow!!! is strange they didnt find a better way to cover those -- i hope the repair is easier than it sounds.

[Rapanui]

Are you sure that FP did that? I have never seen that on other boats. Certainly our FP Maldives of similar vintage and Athena have not got this. It seems more probable to me that a previous owner drilled the holes to provide access to fix or re-fix fittings eg cleats, boarding ladder etc in the transom steps area, a notoriously difficult problem as we have found with the stern boarding ladder fittings on the Athena. To fill with foam you would not need such large holes

[kiltym]

Well, someone filled the transoms with foam via this hole, and seems unlikely anyone else would have done this. And it was covered with the non-skid just like the other steps and matched 100% so unlikely it was done after the fact or I think it would be noticeable as matching the non-skid 100% would have been a challenge, but I am open to thoughts.

Keep in mind that it was totally unnoticeable until the "plug" started to sink a bit and then it started to show as an indent under the non-skid. For the first 4.5 years we owned the boat, never saw it at all. So, if the plug were to hold long enough, you may not ever know unless you have changed out the non-skid.

The foam comes all the way up and fills the hole, it provides no access to anything. 2" is certainly not big enough to get a hand into. I am pretty sure it was not done to gain access to anything. And no one would have drilled the same hole 2x once they realized it was full of foam and didn't get them anywhere the first time.

I have added an access port (4") on the side of the port transom to gain access to things, and has worked very well and no issues with it, just FYI. Getting to the boarding ladder would still be tough though. On ours however, the ladder used tapped screws into the bottom step. So if it were to leak (or not hold well anymore), and the screws didn't hold, would just re-fill the holes with epoxy and tap new holes for the screws. Not ideal as it does not have nuts/backing on it, but has been ok for 15 years.

I sent a note to FP about this as well, as I had asked them, before I removed the non-skid, what the indents were from. The guy that answered said it was for the emergency tiller, however, there is no such accommodation for an emergency tiller on our boats. If I ever get a reply back from him I will post it here as well.

[kiltym]

I got a response from FP:

"on the Tobago the emergency tiller was an option.
So what i imagine, is that a former owner wanted a emergency tiller and drill the holes at the wrong location. So after seing themistake, he refilled it.

Your solution is the correct one. Maybe grind the surface before relaminate (it will help to keep the same level."

Still seems a bit suspicious to me because of the fact someone would have had to cut 2 holes, and the fact that the non-skid looks original, and all matches.

I guess I may never know. Oh well. Boats......

[kiltym]

Just a quick follow-up. I have since been on 2 additional Tobago's, both older then ours, and both had the same issue.

One, the holes could be seen under the non-skid and he has wondered what they were, the 2nd, the non-skid had been pulled up and some repair work had been done to the holes.

I am pretty sure this is a factory thing, unless the same previous owner owned all 3 of these boats .

So, if you have a Tobago, I would look for any indents on the top step under the non-skid, and fix when you can to avoid the foam getting wetter then it probably already is.