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I removed a kicker motor mounting bracket from the transom. it had eight 1/4 in. bolts. The holes are above the waterline.

Do you think I will be OK just filling the holes with 3M 5200 sealant? Or do you think that I need to waste those nice SS bolts just as place holders?

The footprint for the bracket was about 8" x 12", so the holes are all a couple of inches from each other and not near any other transom opening -- i.e., I don't think (?) transom strength is an issue. It's a wood core, fiberglas covered transom on a 20 ft. inboard/outboard.

Comments appreciated - the sooner I get done, the sooner I can get out on the saltwater!

Just fill em and it don't have to be with 5200 The main thing is to fill it from one side, till it comes out the other side, thus insuring that the hole is completely sealed

wevans wrote:Just fill em and it don't have to be with 5200 The main thing is to fill it from one side, till it comes out the other side, thus insuring that the hole is completely sealed

Thanks Wevans - I just wanted someone else to look at what I was doing to make sure I wasn't doing something stupid !

Be very careful sealing those holes, especially if you have a boat with a wood core transom. I'd use something better than 5200. I've used Marine-Tex to seal holes before and it works pretty good.

Nathan

If the transom is wood core I would mix up some 5 min epoxy and using a small brush paint the insides of the hole. Then seal it up with marine tex.

Thanks guys, but too late, hopefully the 5200 will do the trick OK. I'll take along an extra life preserver just in case.
BTW, have to watch that 5200 running out the holes until it hardens, for sure...

I know it's to late.But what I do is get some wooden dowels the same size as the bolts you removed.Drive them into the hole and trim flush,then glass them in from both ends or fill with 5200.

put some masking tape over one side with a pin hole in it