How do you mount a motor bracket

[Guest]

Hi Everone
I just want to know how you bolt on a motor bracket to the transom of a day sailer II.

I would think you have dill holes in the transom and put a plate in back of the transom.

But how do get to the back of the transom with out cutting a hole in the cockpit lining ?

Please Help.

AL Villar (weddingcam-at-optonline.net)

[Roger]

On the DS 2 the transom is about 2 inches thick. I just moved my motor from stbd to port this past summer, so I filled in the old holes and made a better mounting plate for the outside using 1/2" ply that I epoxied all around. I then drilled three holes in three of the four corners, as where the fourth hole would line up bottom outboard), would be under the seat, where I couldn't get to. The holes from the board were then used as a pattern and through drilled all the way through the transom, then through a matching aluminum plate, about 1/16 thick, on the inside of the transom. I then used 3 inch ss carriage bolts, washers and acorn nuts to sandwich everything together with the acorn nuts on the inside. It is more secure to through bolt than just to attache it to the outside skin. As well the screw clamps on the motor bracket would mar the inside of the transom, if it were not for the inside plate. As additional security, one of the through bolts is an eye bolt so that a padlock can be attached between clamp and bolt. That eyebolt also goes through the mounting bracket of the motor, so a person cannot just use a bolt cutter to break the lock, undo the clamps and walk away with your iron wind. The nut on the bolt is epoxied on.

If I need to take the motor off, unlocking it is the key, if someone else wants to take the motor off, they would not only have to bring their bolt cutters, but grinder as well. Hopefully that would be enough to deter my motor developing legs.