I have a Hunter 23 with the old motor mount on the stern. it is all fiberglass kind of C shaped. I have hanging off of it a rather heavy Honda 5hp 4 cycle. I am getting concerned about the cracks in the mount. Had some thoughts of taking the old one off and putting a new garelick mount on it. However, the issues are drilling holes in the stern and sealing them and then the cost of the mount is like $300 +. Any idea about how to strengthen the old one that would not look like a slob fixed it.
motor mount
- Thread starter teacher63
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Sorry for the crappy picture but this is the best I have. Don't know what brand I have, but the motor is actually attached to a 2" board that is bolted to the mount. I'll eventually have to replace the wood but the mount itself seems to be in pretty good shape and is bolted directly through the hull. Pretty good-sized washers on the inside.
Does this help or have I missed your question completely?
Kermit
Does this help or have I missed your question completely?
Kermit
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I had the same issue with my original engine mount when I upgraded to a Honda 4 stroke. I bought a used Garelick mount on Ebay for $180. It's a little more substantial of a model than I probably need, but it was in excellent condition and new it would have been $350 from Garelick.
I bought a piece of UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) on Ebay for about $35. The size I got was 3 x 3.5 x 24.5. I cut it in half as two wedges to flatten the angle of the Garelick mount (since I didn't get the one designed for sailboat transoms). I then glassed up the previous holes from the old mount and put the new UHMW pieces over them and drilled 3 new holes (re-using one old hole) and then finally sealed around the UHMW with 3M 5200.
I bought a piece of UHMW (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) on Ebay for about $35. The size I got was 3 x 3.5 x 24.5. I cut it in half as two wedges to flatten the angle of the Garelick mount (since I didn't get the one designed for sailboat transoms). I then glassed up the previous holes from the old mount and put the new UHMW pieces over them and drilled 3 new holes (re-using one old hole) and then finally sealed around the UHMW with 3M 5200.
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Do you know the number of the garelick mount. I had one on my old boat that I boat and left it on the boat when I got rid of it. I should of taken it off and putt he old one back on. Hind sight is 20 20. I am not happy with myself I basically gave away a better than $300 piece of equipment. I was wondering if there is any way to take the old one and reinforce it. By the time I was done I might as well buy a new one.
Take the plunge and go with the Garelick. One advantage is that you can raise your tilted outboard higher so the prop won't drag in the water when the boat is heeled hard on starboard tack.
The H23 transom is thin, so you need a large backing plate. Luckily, the cockpit locker opening is more than large enough. If you use a ply backing plate, seal it well with epoxy before installing. Once the plate is in place, all mounting bolt holes should be drilled a quarter-inch larger than needed, closed completely up with epoxy thickened with microsilica (so it won't run) and redrilled to the desired diameter. This will keep water out of the ply.
While you're at it, check the hull to deck joint at the transom. My H23 had an adjustable backstay that eventually separated the joint. A little sealant and a few quarter-inch stainless steel bolts spaced six inches apart solved that problem.
The H23 transom is thin, so you need a large backing plate. Luckily, the cockpit locker opening is more than large enough. If you use a ply backing plate, seal it well with epoxy before installing. Once the plate is in place, all mounting bolt holes should be drilled a quarter-inch larger than needed, closed completely up with epoxy thickened with microsilica (so it won't run) and redrilled to the desired diameter. This will keep water out of the ply.
While you're at it, check the hull to deck joint at the transom. My H23 had an adjustable backstay that eventually separated the joint. A little sealant and a few quarter-inch stainless steel bolts spaced six inches apart solved that problem.
My H23 came with an older swing mount, same as or similar to Kermit's. If you do get one of those, and don't find one made with an angle adjustment for a reverse-angled transom sailboat, you should do something like what Paladin did to get the prop shaft horizontal. My simple fix was to remove the wood engine mount block from the mount bracket, and add spacers in the top mount bolts. I bought a couple of PVC fittings, about an inch or maybe a bit larger in outside diameter, and about an inch and a half long. I filled these with epoxy (no filler) and then drilled the center for the bolts. I sanded down one end at an angle to more or less match the angle between the motor mount and the (now vertical) wood block. These spacers go between the wood block and the mount. Not as elegant as Paladin, but it seems to work. Mine has large wood blocks (like 2X4) on the inside, rather than metal backing plates.
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