[GregE]

My jon boat was previously owned and the owner's outboard bolted thru the double hull transom. The aluminum thickness of each side, inner and outter, looks to be about 1/8, maybe 3/16. The boat is rated for a 50 HP so the transom is fairly heavy gauge aluminum. The two holes are about about 1/4 to 5/16 diameter. The spacing between the holes is much wider than will be for my motor, since his was larger. What would you guys recommend as a patch to those holes? I'm not a welder and don't have access to that, so welding them isn't something for me. I guess I could JB Weld them just so that it's sealed. What do you think?

I also plan to put expoxied & painted plywood on that part of the transom where the motor will mount and then bolt my outboard motor to the transom thru new holes.

First question is what how to fill/seal the old holes?
Then what would the best way be to attach the plywood to the transom? Of course the motor and bolts will hold it, but I'd like it to be more permanently in place regardless of whether the motor is mounted. Should that be an adhesive, or additional bolts?

I assume it's also a good idea to seal around it's perimeter with some type of caulk, or does that truly matter for this? I just want to be thorough.

[tmcalavy]

Make your transom pad wide enough to cover the old holes, use industrial adhesive in a tube that you use in a caulk gun (check the box stores) and then seal/fill the holes on the other side of the transom with marine-tex or JB Weld. Prime and paint the plywood pad with a good oil-based paint, if you want to seal the edges after that, use 3M 4200 marine sealer...from Walmart in a tube.

[tashasdaddy]

why not just put new stainless bolts nuts washers, sealed with 3m 4200..that's the way it should have been sealed with the previous motor. use the holes the mount your motor pad.