ThunderJet O/B swim deck-missing weld?

[Undertaker]

I have a 2008 Thunderjet Luxor O/B. I noticed mid-summer that there was no weld on the bottom part of the flotation compartment.
Before I call ThunderJet, I thought I would ask here. Is this a missed weld or by design?
I put silicone on as a temporary fix and it's working fine. No more water getting in.
I would think it would add more integrity to have it welded though.

[Matt J]

I have a 24' Alexis O/S. My o/s bracket is welded at the bottom, but leaks like crazy at the top. I left the plug in and filled with a hose from the removable top plate and could see fairly large gaps in the welds where water was coming out from. After a days worth of fishing several gallons will drain. Talked to the dealer in Troutdale, who wants to put a scupper valve to allow the water to drain when on plain. I'm going to insist on new welds and scupper valve for any built up condensation that occurs.

Anyway back to your question, saw another new TJ w/o weld on bottom of bracket, so maybe by design? Doesn't make much sense to me though.

[Highmark]

As it is now.It's not a flotation bracket. It's not like the one on
my NorthRiver OS. They are a true O/S bracket. they are part of the transum and help in plaining as well. There is a Bilg pump installed in
the O/S bracket on the the N/R.

I have a 2008 Thunderjet Luxor O/B. I noticed mid-summer that there was no weld on the bottom part of the flotation compartment.
Before I call ThunderJet, I thought I would ask here. Is this a missed weld or by design?
I put silicone on as a temporary fix and it's working fine. No more water getting in.
I would think it would add more integrity to have it welded though.

[Undertaker]

Definitiely not as big as a bracket on a Northriver or a Hughes, but any extra flotation can't hurt.
Plus the fact that the outboard is mounted on it, I would think any extra strength would be a no brainer.
I'll keep digging to find out if it was overlooked or not.
One way or another, I'm going to have it welded.
Silicone isn't as pretty as those sweet looking welds that I like so much on the rest of the boat.

[olybirds]

i had an 03' with no weld visable on the outside. Is it welded on the other side?

Mine also had a rubber flap attached to that down spout drain thats pictured on your bracket. I never noticed having any water in mine. was always dry in there..

[Undertaker]

No weld on the inside and there is no scupper valve on the drain hole. I just use a standard boat plug on it.

[skaha]

No weld on the inside and there is no scupper valve on the drain hole. I just use a standard boat plug on it.
--I just took a look on my powerbolt same bracket no weld on bottom and rubber valve. As no one around here has the same boat I assumed it was designed to fill with water at troll for stability and drain on plane but hey lets find out for sure!

[1pump]

Silicone may not be a good idea. An experienced welder told me that it will contaminate any areas that need to be welded, but he was talking about cracks specifically. From my own experience, it's highly acidic and not good for thinner metals.
In any case, marine caulk works a lot better.

[Undertaker]

Upon further review...:redface:

I e-mailed ThunderJet asking why there wasn't a weld and promptly received a nice reply from them telling me where it was and why (thank you Dustin @ TJet). It was right where he said it was.

I could have sworn I looked inside the compartment for a weld when I first noticed water in it but there is a weld along the whole bottom seam inside (where Olybirds thought it should be). I'll blame my mistake on weakening eyes and bad light (or Bud light).

Their explanation was that during the manufacturing of that part of the boat, it is easier for the welders to do that particular seam from the top before the fantail is welded on (the top of the swim deck).

I'll probably get intermittent water in it no matter what I do. It must be coming in through the access hatch (which I had already removed and re-sealed with silicone).

Mystery solved. Thanks everyone for the input.

P.S. If anyone finds someplace that sells the rubber flap device, I might give that a shot. The standard boat plug I'm using should keep the water out, but I'd like it to drain if some seeps in from somewhere else.

[Two Fister]

Undertaker,
Since you have a drain plug you can fill the bracket up with water and then look for pin holes in the welds. Sometimes that's all it takes to allow some water to get in there. The access hatches are notorious for allowing a lot of water to get in there. The silicone should take care of it.
TF

[Undertaker]

Planned on doing that this weekend.
I'm going to keep track of how many gallons I get out of it too to figure out what amount of flotation it provides.

A note on the flaper valve, TJet was curious where I was getting the water too and offered to send me the valve.

Really liking the level of customer care ThunderJet is providing.

[MattPark]

The two new TJ OBs I've fished on both have had leaking brackets. One boat I've only fished on once (24 OB OS), the other I've fished on multiple times, including multiple trips beyond the 125 line (20' OB OS).

The 20' fills the entire bracket every time we take it out. Neither are visibly welded in that spot, but neither leak from that spot, either. I have seen pinholes leak on the 20' boat, but that cannot possibly fill the OB on some of the shorter trips we have been on. It's been "repaired" two or three times, and it still completely fills with water. I think the best route, until it is finally sealed, is to run with the offshore bracket plug inside the glovebox, at least that way it will empty itself out while on plane, because we know it's going to fill up either way.

Last time we had it out tuna fishing, it sure would have been nice to not have all that water in the boat, it sure doesn't help performance or fuel economy, it's a night and day difference driving the boat with the bracket empty and full.

[Undertaker]

Test results with standard bilge plug in the drain hole of the offshore compartment...

Capacity= 36 gallons
Not a single dribble or leak from anywhere.
This would suggest my access hatch is the culprit. Odd part is that sometimes there is a little bit of water, a lot of water or none. Never the same twice.

Also found the bouyancy of the compartment (if dry) is 300 lbs.
Based on 1 cubic foot of air displaces 62.4 lbs of water, 36 gallons= 4.8125 cubic feet X 62.4= 300.3.

[olybirds]

I think you are getting it in thru the access hatch on top. The only time I remember getting a lot of water in mine was when backing into swells, thus water was comming over the bracket. THe Flapper valve was clogged on the inside by a piece of plastic baggie... I removed the baggie and never had a problem again.

If that flapper is performing correctly it only allows water out, and not in. Thus if you do have some water in there from backing into swells, or taking some water onto the OS bracket, it should drain out when up on step...

My new boat has a drain pulg on its Bracket. (hewescraft 24') and Just to check, I looked inside today, and its dry as a bone inside, and the hatch is siliconed on the OS bracket and has an O-Ring on the part that you unscrew for access.. WHich is something else to look at.. Make sure your hatch has the O-ring and is water tight to begin with...

[Undertaker]

Yep. That's one of the first things I did when I got the boat (re-sealed the access hatch and all the screws and bolts holding it).
It does have the O-ring as well.
I also use a regular plug since mine didn't come with the flapper valve.
As I mentioned above, ThunderJet said they were sending me one.
I hope they follow through. At least then I'll be able to test with both and see which works best.
It's never filled all the way up, but I have noticed a decrease in performance when it's at it's worst.

[Dan S.]

I have a new TJ offshore and the bracket fills up. It will work great as a ballast tank for wakeboarding, all kidding aside thanks for the info as I was worried.

[fishorgolf]

I think if TJ had mattpark's boat welded 2 or 3 times I would assume that they (the boat builder ) wanted that area dry , Did they charge for the repair ?. Repair might just inply that something was wrong.
I'm not a boat builder but the stability of a boat w/a water filled OS bracket at troll compaired to a on plane boat when you want the most control and stability and a empty OS bracket is unclear to me...... My kicker bracket fills with water at times and has a 3/4" drain hole that I don't plug. I haven't looked closely at the TJ OS's But would think that they should all be compairable to other OS's of the TJ boat lines, wet or dry?
Q. Can they be any good if there are so few of them ?

A. Mine's dry ( Northwest Jet boats )

Have fun and be safe

[blacktail3113]

I think on the offshores there was some tweaking needed on the deckplates.. as that is where the water comes in from...a quick seam seal of Sikaflex will remedy the problem...thunder jet has built over 400 offshores in the last 2 years and is still tweaking them daily...any recommendations you can offer are always appreciated...undertaker if you havent recieved the flapper valve please let me know and I will send you one down.. Dustin @ TJ has his hands full typically dealing with us dealers

[blacktail3113]

I think if TJ had mattpark's boat welded 2 or 3 times I would assume that they (the boat builder ) wanted that area dry , Did they charge for the repair ?. Repair might just inply that something was wrong.
I'm not a boat builder but the stability of a boat w/a water filled OS bracket at troll compaired to a on plane boat when you want the most control and stability and a empty OS bracket is unclear to me...... My kicker bracket fills with water at times and has a 3/4" drain hole that I don't plug. I haven't looked closely at the TJ OS's But would think that they should all be compairable to other OS's of the TJ boat lines, wet or dry?
Q. Can they be any good if there are so few of them ?

A. Mine's dry ( Northwest Jet boats )

Have fun and be safe

[Matt J]

I got one of the TJ supplied flapper valves from Clemens a few weeks ago. I keep my boat moored and checked it 2 days after re-launching it with the new flapper valve to find the O/S bracket completely full. Even prior to the flapper valve the bracket never completely filled, so called Clemens and TJ again and they advised to just plug it with a threaded pipe cap. I like the idea of the valve, but it didn't wok for me.

[foxer]

I had an 05' Luxor with the rubber flap. Might have gotten a drop or two out of it once in a while but that was it.

[River Bum]

I have an '05 also, and never get any water out of the bracket. I will have to look but I think mine is welded all the way across the bottom, on the outside. I will be shocked if it isnt.

RB

[MattPark]

So what was changed on the newer OS brackets?

[River Bum]

I was wrong, mine is not welded on the outside either, cant believe I didnt notice that!! But I have watched it many times while installing the transom saver, never get any water to speak of out of the bracket.


RB


http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj287/rvrbum1/IMG_1849.jpg

[skaha]

--still can't figure this out. either the water is pumping back through the scupper when the boat is rockin or coming in though the top port.

--probably not reccomended but mine gets water in it anyways I filled mine with water and nothing comes out except through the scupper.
--not through engine bolts not even a drop anywhere.

--has me stumped.

--I don't leave mine in the water so not an issue. Any of you notice water getting in when at the dock for a while?

[Sarah J]

I have a 2008 Luxor offshore and I also have the leaking problem. Filled up the bracket with water and no leaks?????????.. I have since resealed the access hatch with silicone ...twice.. still get some water , but much better.. I love this boat and the craftsmanship that went into it .:throb: But this system needs a redesign..

[BrassMonkey]

I have a 2008 Luxor offshore and I also have the leaking problem. Filled up the bracket with water and no leaks?????????.. I have since resealed the access hatch with silicone ...twice.. still get some water , but much better.. I love this boat and the craftsmanship that went into it .:throb: But this system needs a redesign..

Take a look around the Bolts that are holding the Outboard onto the offshore bracket.They may need to be Re-Sealed with silicone.
I think this may be were your water is comming in from.

[skaha]

Take a look around the Bolts that are holding the Outboard onto the offshore bracket.They may need to be Re-Sealed with silicone.
I think this may be were your water is comming in from.

--I checked the bolts and no leak on mine. I expect it is combination of scupper and access hatch.

--This is only an annouying amount.... 10hrs fishing and a few cups of water. If I hadn't read this thread I probably wouldn't even have noticed.

[ThunderJet4life]

--still can't figure this out. either the water is pumping back through the scupper when the boat is rockin or coming in though the top port.

--probably not reccomended but mine gets water in it anyways I filled mine with water and nothing comes out except through the scupper.
--not through engine bolts not even a drop anywhere.

--has me stumped.

--I don't leave mine in the water so not an issue. Any of you notice water getting in when at the dock for a while?

[ThunderJet4life]

--still can't figure this out. either the water is pumping back through the scupper when the boat is rockin or coming in though the top port.

--probably not reccomended but mine gets water in it anyways I filled mine with water and nothing comes out except through the scupper.
--not through engine bolts not even a drop anywhere.

--has me stumped.

--I don't leave mine in the water so not an issue. Any of you notice water getting in when at the dock for a while?


I have 2006 Luxor. I leave it over night at the dock in Winchester Bay I have never had water in the OS. Only time I had water in it was at Odell Lake the plastic cover I noticed was loose and waves were coming over the back.

[peachy59]

Test results with standard bilge plug in the drain hole of the offshore compartment...

Capacity= 36 gallons
Not a single dribble or leak from anywhere.
This would suggest my access hatch is the culprit. Odd part is that sometimes there is a little bit of water, a lot of water or none. Never the same twice.

Also found the bouyancy of the compartment (if dry) is 300 lbs.
Based on 1 cubic foot of air displaces 62.4 lbs of water, 36 gallons= 4.8125 cubic feet X 62.4= 300.3.
So what is the latest on this problem you were having? I am considering buying a TJ OS but I have concerns about the os bracket design on these boats. How do they compaire to mfgs like NR, NW JETS, ROUGES, ect..

[skaha]

--the amount of water is so minor and I trailer so have not bothered to try and find and fix.
--I fish often and have had no problems with the boat.

--Mine does not back up well however I have not tried the suggestions of backing up with motor tilted to direct water under the hull.
--on kicker I have long shaft but it has been suggested to use extra long shaft.

--I could lower my main motor one more notch as this was also suggested for backing up but may sacrafice some top end speed.

[Undertaker]

Like Skaha said, it's not that big of a deal (now that I know where the water is getting in from).
I was initially concerned that it may have been a missed weld, but that was not the case.
I will be redoing the silicone gasket (top access hatch on the bracket) this winter when I have the boat back in the driveway.

I would not hesitate to buy a TJ with an offshore bracket. Way too much positive offsetting the minor negative.

[gr84x4]

Could it be that the bolt holes that secure the OB are leaking?

[Undertaker]

No leaks at all.
Filled the compartment to the top.
Not a drip.
It is coming in the top hatch for sure.

[skaha]

Could it be that the bolt holes that secure the OB are leaking?
--same thing I filled to top and nothing coming out anywhere including outboard bolt holes.

--when stopping after high speed run water splashes over top of bracket. I'm assuming water is coming through top access hole and probably a bit through the scupper valve.