Kicker motor/bracket

[BBogey]

Anyone have any thoughts on a kicker motor/bracket? I have a 17' alum duck boat. I've got a 60HP 4-stroke on it. I just bought a Nissan 4-stroke 6HP kicker. I went with a 4-stroke kicker so I could keep one gas can and hopefully keep my weight down towards the back of the boat. It's also why I selected this motor, even though it's a 4-stroke, it weighs in at 55 pounds.<br /><br />EVERYONE I talked with (dealers/stores/cablea's) told me I needed this big ass $210 bracket rated for 4-strokes. I'm having a difficult time at best of figuring out how to mount it? I can't bolt it because I can't put nuts on from the inside as that area is a welded pod filled with flotation. Can I weld the bracket on? Does anybody have any "slick bracket ideas?" I don't mind shipping the one I've got back to Cabela's?<br /><br />Thanks in advance.

 

[Raghauler]

Re: Kicker motor/bracket

BBogey<br /><br />I'm not sure I know what you mean by a welded pod with floatation, but I am sure you can NOT weld it on. The strength of the aluminum is severely compromised in the vicinity of the weld, and it is unlikely to hold due to fatigue. There has to be a way for you to bolt it on. If what you describe is a sandwich of aluminum "bread" with foam "meat", you may be able to drill out the foam and fill the void with epoxy to reinforce the "meat". Perhaps another solution may be to attach a large plate to the transom using multiple #14 (or larger) sheet metal screws (to distribute the load over a large area of the transom) and attach the bracket to that? I don't have any experience doing this, so maybe this option is bad advice...<br />

 

[BBogey]

Re: Kicker motor/bracket

Rag Hauler,<br /><br />I just read your post, and I'm actually doing something very similar to what you've described...I'll be glad when it's over!<br /><br />Thanks,<br />Bogey