Outer Transom Clamps?

[LaqueRatt]

What's the idea with these? They look to me to be keeping the clamp from sitting on the transom correctly. This is on my 77 Rude 25 HP. Have a similar Johnny that has the holes, but no clamps. Any reason why I shouldn't take them off? Seems to me they'd be hard on the transom too since the bolt heads will get driven into to the wood.

Oh and BTW all that grease is gone now....LOL How come every time I get a new motor it looks like somebody went nuts on it with grease?

 

[Pappy]

That is simply the previous owner giving you the parts necessary to thru-bolt your engine properly on to your transom the same way he apparently had it on his. You have the bolt, large inner flat washer, and the nut for each side.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Thanks for solving that mystery for me. Didn't know you could mount a motor like that. At least you wouldn't have to worry about it falling off. Think I'll just stick with the clamps.

 

[airshot]

Clamps are fine, but check them frequently... this comes from experience ! Make sure your clamps are clamping on wood, not metal. The give in the wood helps the bite,, metal can slip and not give a good bite as there is no give. When I started my boating life, all motors were clamp on, most problems were user induced.

 

[LaqueRatt]

User induced problems seem to be my specialty........ I will keep an eye on the clamps though. Thanks for the reminder.

Also thinking of fabbing up some type of tether just in case. Clear hose over a cable sound adequate? Not sure have anything to hook the boat end to though.

 

[airshot]

User induced problems seem to be my specialty........ I will keep an eye on the clamps though. Thanks for the reminder.

Also thinking of fabbing up some type of tether just in case. Clear hose over a cable sound adequate? Not sure have anything to hook the boat end to though.

We used to call them safety chains/ cable's....when bolt on motors took over, the safety chains dissappeared.. I still use them on my clamp on kicker. One of the popular places is to run the chain/ cable under or around the knee going to the transom. On my boat, one if the 1/2" bolts holding the main motor on, had enough threads sticking out, that I put a SS plate on with another nut on the bolt end and attached my safety chain to that.

 

[Pappy]

User induced problems seem to be my specialty........ I will keep an eye on the clamps though. Thanks for the reminder.

Also thinking of fabbing up some type of tether just in case. Clear hose over a cable sound adequate? Not sure have anything to hook the boat end to though.

The unique thing about you creating a tether is that it will probably need to be done by anchoring to the transom.........requiring holes.....which is exactly what you would be doing by utilizing the anchor holes provided in the brackets. With these holes and thru-bolts there is no need for a tether and.... you are less likely to have your engine stolen. The difference is that the tether allows you to retrieve an engine that has already gone off the transom, the thru-bolts keep you from needing any of it. Just a thought.

 

[airshot]

The unique thing about you creating a tether is that it will probably need to be done by anchoring to the transom.........requiring holes.....which is exactly what you would be doing by utilizing the anchor holes provided in the brackets. With these holes and thru-bolts there is no need for a tether and.... you are less likely to have your engine stolen. The difference is that the tether allows you to retrieve an engine that has already gone off the transom, the thru-bolts keep you from needing any of it. Just a thought.

Great thought as long as your motor stays on the boat. In my case, the motor is removed after each use, so unbolting each time would not be productive. LOL...I can remember the days when bolting your motor on was unheard of!!! Yikes, showing my age again...

 

[LaqueRatt]

Great info guys. I'm listening.....and learning hopefully. "Big Rudy" is going to be the 3rd motor on this boat in the last year though so at this point think I'll hold off on bolting through the transom. Maybe later on if decide to stick with it. Not even sure I'm sticking with this boat as I'd really like something with a side helm. They seem rare as hen's teeth around here though.