How to replace a motor mount

[floridacapri]

New to me 2005 Capri 22 has a storm damaged motor mount. What is the best way to access the nuts holding it on? It's frame is bent and the handle/stop piece is missing.
An access port? Would one in the fuel locker give access or is there another layer? The top rudder gudgeon is loose, so an access port is needed there in the middle anyway. Do I need the large on Catalina Direct sells for this?
Should I crawl into the quarter berth and hope to not get stuck? Anyone have pictures or drawing of what is back there? How did the factory install the mount? A threaded backing plate would be nice, is there one on a 2005 model 2? Then I wouldn't need access to the back, just make sure the plate doesn't fall.
I'm a new owner for the boat and it needs some work. It will be in Daytona Beach, and I'm hoping the wing keel will be nice for the shallow water we have here.
charles

 

[HERSH]

That is a tough one. Sounds like your motor is mounted on the PORT side. On my boat the motor is located on the starboard side and there is no"box" so access pretty easy. But on the other hand the swim ladder is on the port side behind the fuel compartment. On 297 was very hard to get to through an access port. Did I say VERY HARD. almost impossible.. My newer # 427 the bolts for the swim ladder came completely through the transom .

Good luck If you crawl in, make sure there is somebody nearby who can drag you out. It can get pretty cramped in there.

Hersh

 

[floridacapri]

Oops, my mistake. It is on the starboard side with the battery box behind it on sail number 1096. The battery box has a very thin wall. Is there nothing between it and the transom?

 

[HERSH]

You are going to have someone else with a MK II help you. Mk I boats have their battery behind the cooler.

Hersh

 

[floridacapri]

All the small changes over time make trying to use google to learn about the boats difficult. What I call the battery box is just where the prior owners kept the batteries. I haven't found any description of where they were designed to go. Where and if there are backing plates seems even more confusing.
thx,
charles

 

[wamwam1]

I have a Mk11 and a port has been cut in the battery box allowing access to the mount nuts. Also on mine, a 2007, the top rudder mounts have a threaded plate so no port is needed.

 

[NewportNewsMike]

Which side of the transom is the motor mount mounted on a MK II?

That's a trick question, because over the years it has been mounted on both sides.

First, it was mounted on the starboard side (same side as stern light) with the swim ladder mounted on the port side. But then someone at the factory noticed that the stern light was seriously obstructed whenever the motor was raised in the "sailing" position. So they swapped sides. Not sure when they made the change over, but my hull #1258 left the factory in Jan 2012 with space on the transom for the motor mount (and cockpit gas can locker) on the port side. And the swim ladder (and the sealed compartment locker to hold battery) mounted on the starboard.

While the swim ladder was installed at the factory as they built the boat, the motor mount was not factory installed - it was added by the commissioning dealer. The commissioning dealer and I added a large access plate in the after wall of the gas locker to be able to access the front face of the transom in order to mount the motor mount. There is nothing between the rear wall of the gas locker and the transom - in other words, once you cut the hole in the gas locker's wall you can see the inside face of the transom. Even with an access plate installed there, there is not much "finger room" to work motor mount nuts - it is tight. I did not use a backing plate, as I could not get easy enough access to fit one. Instead, I used large-diameter fender washers on each bolt. And locking nuts.

And speaking of tight access between the gas locker and transom, there is not enough room there for a full length jig saw blade to cut your hole to install the access plate. You will need to "make" a short blade so the blade will not be hitting the transom as you cut the locker wall.

The access plate for the upper rudder gudgeon is sounds like an excellent idea. It is about the only way (other than a talented eight-year old kid), to be able to access those bolts for tightening. Again the space between cockpit wall and transom will not be much. If you use a jig saw to cut hole, it will need a short blade. If you use a circular hole saw, be sure the drill bit is short (just long enough to protrude from saw) or you will drill into transom.

Edited to add: Not sure whether #1258 has a threaded plate for upper rudder gudgeon bolts or not. I will need to investigate that - any one have an eight year old kid to lend out?

 

[wamwam1]

#1113 has the motor on the starboard side and has a threaded plate for the upper rudder support.

 

[floridacapri]

Today the motor mount was removed and the rudder gudgeon tightened. The info here was very helpful. The boat, sail 1096 yr 2005, had a plate behind the upper gudgeon. A number four phillips screw driver tightened it down. An access port was cut in the battery box on the starboard side. This allowed the motor mount to be removed. It had no backing plate or sign of how it was originally installed. This was a greatly preferred solution over tunnelling in the quarter berth on a day in the upper 80's.