# Mounting Outboard properly on Jon boat?



## paulc2k2 (Feb 17, 2012)

Hi,

I have a 12ft Valco Jon Boat that I have been using with a trolling motor. Some of the small lakes that I fish are electric motor only, and the minn kota 55lb thrust works for me at these lakes.

I have recently obtained a used 7.5hp Mercury 2 stroke gas outboard, and I want to mount it properly to my boat, but I am a little apprehensive about drilling two holes through the boat's transom to secure the outboard's bracket to the boat once it's hung on there. 

My question is, since I still want to frequent the lakes that are electric motor only, from time to time, should I not drill any holes to secure the outboard's transom bracket to the boat? Should I mount the motor and just secure the bracket clamps as hard as I can manually to the inside of the transom? This would let me remove the outboard when I need to use the boat with trolling motor only.

Also, my transom is in excellent shape, however the outside doesn't have a plywood transom pad like I've seen some boats have, it's just the bare aluminum back end of the boat. Do I need to install a plywood transom pad, or can I just install the outboard to the boat as is? 

https://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/paulc2k7/IMAG1117.jpg

Any help is much appreciated. 

Thanks!


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## fool4fish1226 (Feb 17, 2012)

Yes you can just use the mounting brackets just make sure they are tight and I would also secure the motor to the boat with a chain just in case.

I would use a piece of aluminum on the outside and not the ply JMO


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## Pappy (Feb 17, 2012)

On the inside of the transom brackets there are usually raised ribs of some kind designed to bite into whatever substrate is on the back of the boat. This helps insure the engine does not clock one way or the other and come off the transom. Would put ply on the back or some kind of wood for the brackets to bite into.


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## paulc2k2 (Feb 18, 2012)

Thanks guys!

Once I build myself a plywood transom pad and it's seald with epoxy, I will secure it with nuts and bolts in the four corners, but is there a glue or something that will help bond the epoxied plywood transom pad to the rear of the aluminum boat?


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## JMichael (Feb 18, 2012)

I wouldn't use any sort of adhesive. With 4 bolts holding it on and the motor claps squeezing it against the boat, it's not going to go any where. And gluing it will just make it harder to replace, should you ever need to.


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## Jdholmes (Feb 18, 2012)

I would put 3m 5200 around the holes you drill to seal it better.

For the outside pad I took the recommendation of a few people and cut pieces of white cutting board material and attached them to the back of the boat instead of wood - it was easy, cheap and will never rot. I think I paid $2 for the cutting board at walmart.


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