Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

[jddenham]

I just got a new project; a 1989 Bayliner Capri 17' with no motor.

The guy I bought it from had tried 2 different motors on it besides the original force 85.

He siliconed the top of the transom where the plastic trim had fallen off.

Luckily the boat hasn't seen much water, so the transom is dry and OK.

Here's where I need help:

I want to take the transom cap trim off, clean the silicone off, and seal the transom up with maybe some epoxy or polyester resin, or 3M 4200? Then I want to have a nice aluminum cap piece made.

My next dilemma is mounting my 1975 Mercury 150HP motor. I have a jack plate that I'd like to use since these merc's only have one set of mounting holes. This makes the steering tube not fit. Is there a way around that? Should I forget the jack plate?

Lastly, there are a couple of spots where the gelcoat is chipped and you can see the fibers, like the pic right above the drain plug. I know the easiest fix would be epoxy. Would the correct way be a gelcoat repair kit? I would like to keep the materials on the exterior consistent in case I decide to paint or re-gel the boat. There aren't but two or three such spots where a repair is necessary. Will water seep through spots like this where you can see the fibers?

As far as all the mounting holes go, I was going to fill them in with epoxy? I could then sand/grind it back and do the gel coat repair?

Thanks for reading this rambled post! Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[gcboat]

Re: Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

This is going to be the product you need for those scratches, holes, etc.
http://www.marinetex.com/
Concerning the transom cap don't get confused with sealants and/or adhesives. They are each different and serve a different purpose. Either one of your choices will work, using the 4200 as last choice. Epoxy and some mat will almost guarantee a good fix.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

i would glass in the top of the transom, use 4200 to mount the jackplate, get a longer steering cable and cut a boot in above the rub rail on the stern, for the steering cable. here's what Gary H did after replacing his transom with seacast.
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=205794

 

[jddenham]

Re: Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

It would be a big help if some people out there could post a pic of their jack plate set-up.

I need to see how some different steering linkages hook up to the tilt tube and go through the back of the boat.

Thanks in advance for any pics.

James

 

[jddenham]

Re: Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

OK, time to get going here.

I'm going to remove the kicker mount and swim step. I'm going to drill all holes out to 1/2 inch. I will then fill them with Marine Tex. The holes that I need to use I will drill into the marine tex so I don't have to worry about water intrusion into the transom wood. When I mount the jack plate I will also drill oversize holes, fill them with marine tex, and drill the final bolt holes.

Does this sound like a good plan? Please offer any advice you may have.

Once the jack plates are mounted I will mount the motor - at that point I can start worrying about hooking up the cables, etc.

 

[WaterWitch2]

Re: Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

I recently worked on a friends boat. It had home made outboard mounting brackets. I installed a jack plate and filled 26 holes(YES 26 HOLES )with Marine-Tex and is holding up just fine. The previous owner must have relocated the motor a few times and just siliconed the extra holes. When you fill the holes, you should use a countersink on the holes to bevel the edges before filling them. As for the steering, he has hydraulic steering so no cable to worry about. Took about 2 1/2 of the 14 oz kits to fill that many holes in a 2' transom.

 

[jddenham]

Re: Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

I still have this project sitting here in the driveway! Kids & procrastination don't go well together but it's time to get something done here.

Any new thoughts on the matter would be appreciated.

I will update with any progress as it occurs.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

Well.....welcome back to the restoration section! You were on track in post #5.

 

[jddenham]

Re: Seal up transom, mount outboard/jack plate

That's kind of where my mind was. I knew I was going to have to spend some bucks on supplies for this, but I didn't realize I'd need to budget in $100 or so for wasp spray . . . . just to get started on it