Help mounting new motor please

[tracik3]

So, we got a new 9.9 Mercury motor for our 14' jon boat. Our boat is 2 years old. Not sure if that matters.

We are trying to decide if we should bolt it on or not. I would like to because of theft and it will some times be on the trailer, going from lake to home, and the roads are very bumpy. We have a camper at the lake and I would like to be able to leave boat at the lake some times so I can go fish during the week with out my husband. Dh wants to not bolt it on so we can store the motor in the garage during the winter. Couldn't we just put a cover over the boat?

Recently we had major floods here in Louisiana and someone's boat and motor was stolen from our camp ground. But, that was the first time. A lot of people out there leave their boats there. But, most of those are older.

So, most boats we see people put pieces of wood on the transom and then bolt the motor on. Why do they do this? Is it necessary? I am worried about making holes in the boat for all of this. How is it done? Is there a way to bolt on the motor so that it can't be stolen? I know you can put a lock on the little handles on the back but I would like more security than that.

We do chain our boat to a tree. I know it can still be stolen but at least it will take more effort.

Sorry for the book and dumb questions!

 

[fishmonger]

It appears you are concerned about possible theft issues. Remember one thing if you can put it on someone can take it off especially with today's battery operated saws and metal cutting wheels. I knew a guy that was in the home repair business. He had gotten a call from someone with a hole in their roof. When he arrived to look at the job he was very surprised. Appears that thieves had gotten on the roof, drilled a hole with a battery operated drill and cut a bigger hole with a battery operated saw of some type. They got access to the house from that hole ... true story.

If theft is a problem, a new outboard is very inviting. If it were me I wouldn't bolt it and take it with me when I left.

 

[Ebug]

Like stated above....thieves can and will take everything they can/want.
I am with you on bolting it on. If there are two boats setting there and one is clamped on and the other bolted, they might just decide to grab the easier one to remove and call it a night.

Aside from that..Carry a good insurance plan that you make sure covers the replacement cost with it being stored where and how you described.

Rob

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[richg99]

If you decide to keep it outside, I'd go to a boat junkyard and try to find the oldest, crappiest, beat-up 9.9 h.p motor hood that will fit. It MIGHT dissuade the thieves some. You only have to leave it on in the winter when it is stored outside.

richg99

 

[jethro]

Yep, just insure it and get an outboard lock for the turnbuckles.

Battery powered tools sure do help those thieves... after a day of snowmobiling we arrived back at the parking lot and our trailers and every single one of the 15+ vehicles there had the catalytic converters cut off with a sawzall or something. Just goes to show that all you can do is insure yourself properly for theft.

 

[tracik3]

Ok, thanks everyone!

I will call and see how much insurance is. The boat and motor and trailer is only $4000 but sure don't want to be out that $4K!

 

[tracik3]

I just thought I would let y'all know. I just got insurance on it. It is only $100 a year for a $4000 policy. That sure makes me feel better!

 

[turbotodd]

one of my customers had a great idea. Bolt the motor, but use longer bolts so that there are plenty of threads sticking out past the nut. Then after the motor's bolted tight where you want it, bend the bolt over. That makes it almost impossible to quietly remove the lock nuts, so a thief would have to take the whole boat to get just the motor. It may slow them down just enough to deter them from messing with it any more, and if the bolts are bent and they're trying to get the bolts out quietly, it is going to take a lot of wrenching and ratcheting...likely to make a little noise.

Another true story. I was working at a dealer at one point and we had several Yamaha smaller outboards in the shop. All mounted to boats. The shop was full so we had to keep a couple outside. I hated having to do that but it is what it is, place was fenced in like Fort Knox with razor wire on the top. Well somehow a thief got over the fence, and grabbed the 25hp motor off of the boat outside and threw it over the fence. I'm figuring that it took 2 people but I didn't do the investigation. There was a good bit of blood so the police checked the hospital and found that someone had been in that night for several bad cuts. Name given, police questioned and found the stolen motor. Arrested, went to prison on a multiple offense theft charge, and is currently back out. This person has been arrested 54 times since he was 17 years old, currently 38.

So the points made are that theft is more of a problem now than it used to be. And thieves get a slap on the hand and then they go back to doing the same thing they were. 2 very good reasons to make your stuff harder to get.

 

[Ebug]

tracik3....insurance for a boat is a lot cheaper than one would think. The plan I have covers the boat, anything in the boat, the trailer, and the motor. It comes with a rider that provides roadside and on water assistance as well. You just can't beat the peace of mind that brings.

Another one to look into is getting a membership with SeaTow or BoatUS. Thy provide on water service independent from your insurance policy which covers a lot of scenarios. Some of which are dead motor needing a tow to dock, bringing you fuel when you run out, and pulling you off a water hazard like a sand bar. These membership are affordable as well.

Rob

 

[Johnny]

IMHO - insurance is a JOKE for claiming anything under a few hundred bucks.
I filed two claims with State Farm, that I have had since 1980, and my rates
increased without reason - first increase was $10 a month.
second bumped it up to $20 a month. "They said" it was for everyone in Florida
due to the massive claims for weather related issues. HORSE BISCUITS !!!

I am currently looking for another company !!!!

 

[richg99]

I keep almost all of the insurance coverage; car; home; auto; boat with $1,000.00 deductible. That way, little things I take care of. A big loss, then I pay the $1,000 and they go from there. I

have never had a claim on a boat in 50+ years, and hope I can keep that up. My boat insurance is only $100.00 for my little G3 1652 and OLD motor.

I am far more wary of liability so that I keep up high.

richg99