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⛵️ DIY Sailboat ROTTEN Transom Fix | ANTIDOTE's soggy backside get's a facelift!
22 February 2026 · 26 min · 12K views
What this video covers
John, the owner of a 1989 Liberty 458 named Antidote, investigates and begins the removal of a water-saturated plywood transom core.0:08 The restoration project, conducted on a driveway, aims to address structural rot before installing a Hydrovane self-steering system, which requires a sound transom to handle the mechanical loads of an emergency rudder.3:09 John removes exterior hardware, including boarding ladder mounts, wet exhaust outlets, and stainless steel window trim rings, to assess the extent of the decay.1:05 He uses a moisture meter to track saturation levels and cuts multiple core samples from the interior to evaluate the plywood's integrity.19:30 The samples reveal varying degrees of delamination and moisture, confirming that the core is compromised.25:01 While considering whether to perform the final repair from the interior or exterior, John removes teak trim and interior headliner sections to gain access.14:27 He notes that the original construction used adhesive rather than mechanical fasteners for some components, complicating the removal process.7:45
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