What's best to fill holes in a wooden transom?

[motorpsykler]

I removed the motor from my 72 Starcraft SS. I intend on repowering it next year with a late model motor. What should I use to fill the holes in the wood. I imagine some type of epoxy would be best. I want it waterproof(obviously) but also strong and suitable for wood. Thank you in advance!

 

[jaymasta]

Re: What's best to fill holes in a wooden transom?

I would say 3m 5200 would be the best, let it sit and cure for a good week or so before using your boat.

 

[drewpster]

Re: What's best to fill holes in a wooden transom?

Another method would be to use hardwood dowels. If the holes are any larger than 1/4", dowels and epoxy are the best method in my opinion. Get some dowels that will fit tight in the holes, coat them and the holes with epoxy, tap them in place. After the epoxy cures, cut them off near flush then sand them all the way flush. I have never seen a leak using that method. The best part is that you can re-drill new holes for the new engine without the drill wandering in to the old hole.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: What's best to fill holes in a wooden transom?

I wouldn't fill the holes until you get the new motor. Quite often mounting holes are a standard width apart. The new one may fit.

 

[tboltmike]

Re: What's best to fill holes in a wooden transom?

I was changing out transducers and, of course, they do not match bolt holes.

So I decided to install a sacrificial mounting plate. This allows any number of mountings without piercing the transom.

The old holes were drilled, soaked with thin slow set epoxy as were the wood dowels. They were driven in and cut and sanded flush.

Plate is 3/4" thick polyethlyene plate with the bottom edge beveled to match the transom to hull angle and fitted 1/16" above the plane of the hull.

3M caulk was seal the plate to the transom and 4 ss screws were epoxied in to complete the mount

 

[motorpsykler]

Re: What's best to fill holes in a wooden transom?

Thanks guys, I didn't think of using dowels, great idea. I wanted to use the 5200 but it didn't seem right just filling the hole with it.