Launched - observation

[mlindberg1]

Launched today. Mast not stepped yet. Motored to mooring only to find out it was not there
Secured the boat to a friends mooring till I can find it.

The outboard bracket was real hard to get down. It is original I believe. I finally got it down. It is real shakey. I just kept it slow as not to put much strain on it.
The motor is a tohatsu 9.8 four stroke. I really should have changed it on the hard. I didn't think it would be that wobbely...

How tough a job would it be to change it out for a bracket designed for 4 stroke. I'm sure the holes will not line up and I will need a new wedge. Oh yea. It's in the water also. I have no trailer. Can this be done in the water?

On a lighter note. I keep reading about weather helm regarding the tiller. Well the tiller was fighting me the first few min. I was like "weather helm- I'm not even sailing. Well needles to say I just straightened out the outboard. Very slight movement made all the difference. Guess I got a lot to learn.

 

[jibes138]

Most bracket mounted outboards are mounted on one side of the boat or the other, not on the centerline if you have a stern mounted rudder. The thrust is therefore offset making the boat want to turn to the side opposite the motor. This is not "weather helm" rather just a result of balance of forces.

 

[Brian S]

I believe most O'day have a fiberglass wedge fabricated to mount the engine. This is angled to create a vertical mount against the reverse counter of the transom. I guess the 26 transom is fairly straight up and down, looking at a sailboatdata.com picture. You'll have to fill the existing holes, and possibly fabricate new backing inside the transom to accommodate the new hole pattern. I can't imagine trying to do that from the water. Of course, the right way to do it would be to bevel the holes and fill with layers of glass and resin. I don't know if it's acceptable to just plug the holes with Marine Tex or not - probably the plugs might pop out if the transom flexes over time. That's why grinding a bevel and filling with layers of fabric is preferred, especially for through hull penetration below the waterline.

If you do decide to replace, try and get a Garhauer motor bracket. It's a much nicer design than the typical Garelick style mounts. I think you'd have to call Garhauer directly, but I understand they are nice to deal with.

Why did you not step your mast on the hard? I can't imagine wanting to step a 26 footer's mast out on the water, unless you have a really good, really stable mast raising system. Of course, if you have to go under a bridge to get to the mooring area, you have no choice, and then you also have a fairly bullet-proof mast raising setup...

 

[Ward H]

I can confirm what Brian said about Garhauer, great people to deal with. When I called to discuss a project they even recommended I could save some money by buying another manufacturers part because theirs was a bit over kill.

As far as wedges go, if mine had one it was taken off. My OB bracket is bolted right to the transom with a backing plate inside and out. Maybe older brackets needed that wedge because they and outboards did not have the tilt adjustments they do now a days.

You could possibly install the mounting plates and new bracket if you can back up to shallow water to do the outside work but you may need help from someone who can fit and work in the lazarette. If it was me, I would make a couple of epoxy coated 3/4" plywood backing plates, at least 4-6" wider all around than the new bracket, bolt them in place with multiple SS bolts using plenty of 3M 4200 on the bolts and around the edge of the outside plate.
Then mount the new bracket again sealing the bolts with 4200.
When you pull the boat for the winter you can go back and do the complete epoxy filled holes and epoxy in the backing plates thing and remount the bracket.
Just how I would do it if I was in the water and didn't want to pull it back out.

 

[Brian S]

Yeah, Ward confirms the transom of a 25/26 is probably vertical enough to not need the wedge. On mine, there is a reverse counter, so the wedge is needed. I'd have to fab a new wedge to replace the narrow 2 stroke bracket with a wider hole pattern 4 stroke. And the bracket is mounted to the non-lazarette side, so an access port would need to be installed at the back of the fuel locker. Not a big problem at all, since it would be out of sight all the time.

 

[mlindberg1]

I'm hoping it won't be too much of a big deal. All the holes are above the waterline. I got down in the bildge and crawled back there to snug up the nuts to the current bracket. I think if I remove everything, laminate a big backing plate and adhere to the transom (inside), I could mount the new bracket without the wedge and drill through the new bolt patterns. This way I would have a mach larger backing and would stabilize the transom. Probably 2 plates for inside and outside.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

some of the brackets have multiple holes, and might line up with what you have. It would be worth checking out. Good luck.

 

[Ward H]

Got some measurements for you and took some pics.
My two backing plates are 17" x 8.5" and made of 1/2" starboard. The top of the external plate is 7.5" below the rub rail. The OB cowling is 12" from stern when tilted. The bracket OB plate is 18" from stern. Top of bracket plate is 18" above water line putting the bottom of the bracket plate about 5 or 6" above the water.

Read a thread once where someone stated starboard was too soft for a OB backing plate. Not sure how well the photos show it but the stern is curved slightly and the starboard mates to it well.
I'm guessing it comes up as high as it does to cover the blemish of removing the wedge.

Until I took these photos I didn't realize the angle the bracket mounting plate was at. My original 9.9 sat square so there was enough tilt on the OB itself to allow that much angle to be taken out. (New OB is power tilt).

I've seen another O'day 25 with this exact same setup so at least two people thought it was a good way to go.

 

[Windtherapy]

Great thread. I have this same issue and was just planning on keep the motor as high as I can and just tilting it while sialing for now. I emailed Garelick to get the exact hole dimensions and it's not even close to what is on there (wider). It is IMPOSSIBLE to pull up the existing mount with the 9.9 Honda on there. I am sure I couol do it if I leaned over the transom enough but then I would have to have slipped disc back surgery.

 

[Brian S]

I emailed Garelick to get the exact hole dimensions and it's not even close to what is on there (wider). It is IMPOSSIBLE to pull up the existing mount with the 9.9 Honda on there. I am sure I couol do it if I leaned over the transom enough but then I would have to have slipped disc back surgery.

Since the bolt holes will not match between a Garelick 2 stroke and a Garelick 4 stroke, I recommend you contact Garhauer at www.garhauermarine.com. Their SS 4 stroke mount is superior to a Garelick. It is beefier, and has a much larger, more comfortable lifting handle. Sage Marine specs it for the Sage 17. Last time I checked, they did not show the motor mount in the online catalog, so call them. I have heard they are great people to work with.

 

[mlindberg1]

I contacted Garhauer regarding their 4 stroke bracket. They said they make a 4 spring model for 4 stroke but do not carry it in their lineup. They said it can be purchased through Catalina Direct. If this helps finding the Garhauer Bracket.

I went with the Garelick because there was one on Craigslist for $100.00. I thought it was a good deal. I picked it up but have not installed it yet. I am thinking about the best way to install. As I said in a previous post. I think I will get a 3/4 aluminum plate and drill to so it mounts on the existing "old wedge" then mount the Garlic to the aluminum plate. I will also put a big piece of King Starboard behind the old wedge while I have the motor off the boat. I need to do this all while in the water. The only other option is to install the new bracket without the wedge. I don't know if I will have the proper angle as the new Garelick does not have the angle adjustment at the motor attach point. The mother has some angle adjustment. I think I will go with the Aluminum transfer plate for this year and build a new wedge next year on the hard.

 

[Brian S]

Mlindberg, I think you've got a good idea there, using a plate over the wedge to effectively widen the wedge to accept the bracket. Your other option would be to fabricate a new wedge. I have seen this done, but why bother if you don't have to? The only issue I see is the wedge wide enough to support the heavier 4 stroke? Wide enough to limit lateral motion? Maybe?

Most outboards are designed to be on the transom of planing hulls. As a result the transom is either straight up and down, or angled aft slightly. So any adjustment in the outboard tilt takes that in to consideration. Some sailboats are reverse counter, so that the transom tilts forward (as my little 192 does.) Looks like the 26 has minimal forward angle, so hopefully any wedge you have is for purposes of squaring the curvature of the transom. The outboard can probably accommodate minimal forward angle.

You mention putting Starboard between the wedge and the transom... Is your intent to distribute force of the motor pushing against the transom? If so, I wouldn't use Starboard. It is ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, which can deform under pressure. I think I'd be a bit more concerned about the additional weight of a 4 stroke hanging off the transom, in which case I'd be concerned about backing plates inside the transom. That being said, my swim ladder takes 200+ pounds of me climbing up. Given, the swim ladder doesn't stick back off the stern as much as a motor mount, so there is less of a lever action.

Since I'm not an engineer to calculate all the forces, I'm just speculating with this. Considerations for you to think about.

 

[mlindberg1]

I was just looking to put a bigger "backing" plate on the inside of the hull. Right now there are 4 little plywood backers or in a sense washers. I want a large solid piece vs 4 little pads.
The original wedge stays as is. Maybe Starboard is not the right material. Maybe for now a piece of plywood to spread the load.

Speaking of boarding ladders, anyone use theirs? seems awkward to climb up and have to jump over the rail. I was thinking of stowing it and installing a solar panel in that location. On the rail of course. Thats another project I have to think of.

Also The wedge does not seem to be the weakest point. Its in the aluminum struts of the old original 2 stroke bracket. I tried to tighten it up and I messed with the springs,....now its stuck down.....I need to get on this soon....

 

[Brian S]

It may be difficult to climb up the ladder over a pushpit railing, but it beats the alternative: falling out of your boat and being unable to get back in.

While I don't have to deal with a pushpit, I do use my swim ladder for swimming all the time. And I did once accidentally slip over the side and have to swim around to the ladder to get back in. I don't wanna talk about it

Ok, well maybe. I tossed the spring line from the head of the dock. It missed. I had to pull in a now wet and slimy spring line, to again toss at the stern. I went back around and got on the boat, and started futzing around with the motor. That's when the damn spring line slipped overboard, and started sinking. I started reaching. And reaching, and leaning farther overboard, because I was damned if I was going to go back on the dock and toss it a 3rd time. Just as my hand hit the line, I slid over the coaming, but I had that damn line in my hand! That's one excuse not to polish and wax the boat, and to use Aurora Sure Step on the non-skid. The boat was slick! Of course, I was hanging on with one leg and one arm over the coaming! I realized I had 0% chance of climbing back in, mentally checked that the phone was in its waterproof case, so I just slid down into the water, hooked the spring line on the aft cleat (LIKE I SHOULDA DONE FIRST!) and swam around to the stern, pulled down the ladder, and climbed back aboard. Of course, first thing I did was look around to see if anyone saw me And yes, my friend across the slipway had seen... He said he didn't, but after I changed into dry clothes, and was headed to the car, we met going up to the parking lot, and he said, "No, I saw the whole thing. It was hilarious. It was all I could do to not laugh out loud!"

 

[mlindberg1]

Point Taken!!

 

[Ward H]

I agree with Brian that it sounds like you have a good plan. All except one thing.
I do have starboard backing plates and they molded to the rounded transom well. If you were to use plywood it might also bend to mold to the curve but if it didn't the corners of the inner backing plate would put likely to dig into transom when you tighten the motor bracket bolts.
If you were using a rigid backing material you should slather on thickened epoxy to fill in any gaps.

On ladders, my boat has never had one. It should. It is on my list but keeps getting missed each season as I do other projects.

 

[RichBone]

The previous owner of mine mounted an outboard bracket that is wider than the wedge.
Not a great picture because it's cropped from a picture of the boat. Plus two of the mounting bolts are not installed.