Transom looks a bit rough???

[Killter]

Hi guys,

I went to visit a 26x today.

Overall it was ok. The forward hatch isn't in great shape but what struck me the most - and thanks to some of you guys' advice - was the motor which looked pretty old and the general transom area looked pretty rough. The wood behind the motor is in need of repair.

How does it look to you guys?

The antifouling will take place next week.

Thanks!

[chipveres]

Indeed rough, but certainly repairable. Step back a moment though. How does the engine run and how bad is the bottom? These seem like bigger concerns than one piece of epoxied plywood under the motor mount.

Chip V.

[Tomfoolery]

The rust stains are no big deal. Bar Keepers Friend will take them out easily, or anything with oxalic acid. Replace those few nuts and bolts with good quality stainless.

I’d be more concerned about the reason for the ply. Most X boats were originally fitted with the Honda BF50 like that one, and I’m not aware of anyone having a piece of ply under it.

Edit: Looking at it, there’s a step where the transom meets the deck. Maybe mine has something to space the OB out, too, and just never noticed it. If that’s the case, it would be easy to remove the engine mounting bolts and replace that ply with a pice of Starboard (HDPE), which won’t rust or rot or do anything but sit there. As long as the ply wasn’t bonded to the transom, that is.

[wakataka]

My 2001 26x with Yamaha 50 has a piece of starboard in the same place as the plywood on this one. It fills the space below the lip on the top of the transom, providing a flat surface on which to mount the motor. Seems odd that the transom would be designed with a lip that required a modification to mount an outboard. Maybe other makes of outboard have a mount that is recessed accommodate the lip?

[Starscream]

Looks fine to me, tbh. Typical for a used X that's been kept in the ocean. Nothing that flags any major problems. Like a previous poster just said, the plywood fills the offset in the transom. It is the wrong material to have used, but no reason to not buy an X in Europe for that price, and not hugely difficult to replace.

Good luck!

[Killter]

Ok. Thanks guys!

[opie]

As others have said, the same with my 1999 26X, as there is a stiff piece of black fibre board under my engine mount exactly where your plywood is, and the same thickness also. I have reason to believe it was done at the factory.
As for the front hatch, some soap and water will clean the bottom of the hatch to make it look new. And the two puddles of water that mark the leaks onto the cushions are exactly where my hatch leaks. I need to replace the gasket on my boat as well but instead, I just pull cushions away from bow area when I leave the boat and the little bit of water wipes away before I return cushions. Just howl to the seller like you are being tortured and pretend you don't want the boat and see if you can get a bargain.
Fair seas.
Opie

[opie]

I found a pic of my factory supplied mounting pad made of stiff rubber with fibre.

[Starscream]

As for the front hatch, some soap and water will clean the bottom of the hatch to make it look new. And the two puddles of water that mark the leaks onto the cushions are exactly where my hatch leaks. I need to replace the gasket on my boat as well but instead, I just pull cushions away from bow area when I leave the boat and the little bit of water wipes away before I return cushions.

Exactly what I do as well. Part of the put-away procedure is to prop the two V-cushions up against the sidewalls: if not, mold!

[Be Free]

Mine has a piece of white plastic under the engine where his plywood is. As far as I know it was factory installed.

+1 on the bottom. It looks like it's been in salt water for a while. There may be problems you won't see until it is out of the water.

Check the outside of the tilt motor casing. Make sure it is not rusting through. That's an expensive fix.

I'm a little concerned about the peeling paint on the rear of the engine. Remove the cover and look at the paint on the power head. If it is peeling or if it looks like it has been repainted then the engine may have been overheated. When the engine overheats it bakes the insulation on the alternator coil and/or magneto under the flywheel. It's not real hard to replace but it's a hassle.

One more thing, since Hondas seem to be the standard engine so far. The BF40 and BF50 are both interference engines. If the timing belt breaks or jumps time you will probably get a valve through your piston(s). Change the timing belt if the last change is not recent and well documented.

[Tomfoolery]

I'm a little concerned about the peeling paint on the rear of the engine. Remove the cover and look at the paint on the power head. If it is peeling or if it looks like it has been repainted then the engine may have been overheated. When the engine overheats it bakes the insulation on the alternator coil and/or magneto under the flywheel. It's not real hard to replace but it's a hassle.

Just for the record, every older BF50 I’ve seen has paint that looks like that, including mine. That’s on the plastic cowling parts; the metal parts seem to be hanging onto the paint just fine.

[opie]

Killter,
We hope your purchase is proceeding successfully. I read your other posts about your family starting from scratch to get into sailing and choosing the Mac 26 to start. (Mediterranean Sea.)
I am not trying to change the subject of this particular "transom" thread but I am rather happy that the pool of Macgregor owners now includes you (or will soon). We will try to help anyway we can. Many of us also began with the Mac and are happy for what it provides. But, back to the subject of the transom.............ha.

[OverEasy]

Ditto on the plywood.
Sometimes ply may have been the only thing available at the time when the engine was mounted back in the day. Given the age and condition it was probably marine plywood which under the circumstances appears to have done yeoman service, should be retired and replaced by a slightly more modern material like “Starboard” which can be ordered from a variety of places on the internet (Bluewateryatchs, WestMarine, etc) pretty much world wide.

The leakage marks are minor and should be fixable with a cleaned gasket or replacement (available from Bluewateryatchs). This is a common issue on hatche seals that get damaged and/or insufficiently compressed (which is why MacGregor used that screw knob to secure that forward hatch). Try just giving it a good cleaning with Windex and wipe with ArmorAll first then after making sure the clamp is engaged tighten it down so you don’t see daylight around the edges.

Sometimes either the Previous Owners just didn’t tighten it enough or the latch hardware has become loose/worn/damaged and can be relatively easily fixed/repaired/replaced.

Once you own the boat we’d suggest removing the covers from the cushions and gently washing them by hand throughly with an all fabric detergent, a through rinse and hang dry. Same goes for the foam padding. They should be fine.

A boat should be hauled out and the hull inspected before purchasing. It is THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT of a boat. Please don’t skimp on this. It is very important to ensure you have solid valid hull. Don’t be thrown off by dirt and stains. Get that cleaned off and check the actual hull surface to be sure it is intact and seaworthy.

You are very fortunate to have found a Mac!
Congratulations!!!
Welcome to the forum!
Please keep us posted on how things progress for you. I think you will find that Macs know no borders and this forum has a lot of really good people with a lot of good experience and good advice.

Again, Welcome!

Best Regards,
Over Easy

[Be Free]

I'm a little concerned about the peeling paint on the rear of the engine. Remove the cover and look at the paint on the power head. If it is peeling or if it looks like it has been repainted then the engine may have been overheated. When the engine overheats it bakes the insulation on the alternator coil and/or magneto under the flywheel. It's not real hard to replace but it's a hassle.

Just for the record, every older BF50 I’ve seen has paint that looks like that, including mine. That’s on the plastic cowling parts; the metal parts seem to be hanging onto the paint just fine.

+1 on the peeling plastic. It just reminded me to tell him to check the power head for peeling paint.