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Author Topic:   Attaching Bracket to Sport 15 Transom

Moultrie Creek posted 02-25-2015 08:34 PM ET (US)
I have been the proud owner of a 1981 vintage Sport 15 for the past 17 years, and I finally have a question that was not already answered on this site. I would like to screw a stick anchor bracket (for a popular brand name think "Wang Anchor") to the transom in a location where I know there is no wood backing and no possibility of through-bolting. The question I have is will the fiberglass support attachment of the bracket assuming I use four 1/4 inch diameter screws and a suitable amount of 3M 5200? The width of the distinctive Whaler "greenline" just above leads (or maybe misleads) me to believe that the fiberglass may be thick enough to support an anchor mount on the transom.
Before a lot of energy is spent proposing alternative locations or styles of bracket, please understand that 90% of my reason for installing a bracket in this particular location far to the port side of the motor is to utilize screw holes already existing in the transom from an accessory removed long ago. This former accessory is actually unknown to me as it was removed before I acquired the boat, although it most likely was some type of swim ladder based on the attachment that remains. It is only by coincidence that I noticed the screw holes could match up nicely with an anchor mount. If this crazy idea risks damage to my beloved boat, I will be perfectly content to plug the holes properly and continue to utilize my stick anchor with a rope and stainless ring like I have for some time now.
Thank you in advance for any words of wisdom you may have!
Jeff posted 02-25-2015 08:42 PM ET (US)
You are going to end up with stripped holes and a large piece of missing gelcoat if you just "Screw and Glue" it to the transom.
To properly mount it, you should drill all the way through and thru-bolt it in place.
Binkster posted 02-26-2015 09:53 AM ET (US)
Jeff is right, don't just screw and glue anything to the transom. Thing is, the design of the transom on the 15 footer makes it difficult to though bolt. If you can install it on the cutout portion of the transom, you can run a bolt through at a depth of about 12" from the top but if you need to go to the outer part there is no wood backing at all and maybe only 6" of depth to through bolt. I ran into this problem installing a folding ladder on my transom.
rich
Moultrie Creek posted 02-26-2015 08:52 PM ET (US)
I appreciate your responses. I was thinking along those lines myself, however I was clinging to some hope it might work because I received the anchor bracket as a gift and didn't want to dispose of it without asking around first.
One option that did occur to me was to drill out the holes large enough to dig away some foam and inject epoxy behind the fiberglass. This might provide some "substance" I could re-drill and screw into. I did this to nearly all the bow rail screws after they worked loose and had great results - almost 10 years later the rail is rock solid after the abuse of dragging my boat on and off the trailer and countless beaches. However, I expect there might be a lot more stress applied to an anchor bracket, and I could easily end up with four bigger holes and a patch of missing gelcoat going this route. Does anybody see potential with this idea, or is it simply a more invasive "glue and screw" technique?
Thanks again! Casey
Binkster posted 02-27-2015 11:48 AM ET (US)
Here is an idea that will work. Bolt it to an aluminumm plate. I don't know the size of your stick anchor bracket. Measure the size of your bracket add two inches to the width and the length, then buy a piece of 3/8" or 1/4" polished aluminum plate from you local T-Top/Tower builder, or aluminum fabricator. Drill holes in this piece in the location of the bolt holes in your bracket, and countersink the holes on the backside. Next drill holes in the front side at about 2" centers and countersik those holes. Run stainless flathead bolts through the bracket holes from the back so you can bolt your stick anchor to the plate. Coat the backside of the plate with 5200 and screw it to the transome. Let it cure for a week and it will be there forever.
rich
Plotman posted 03-09-2015 08:27 AM ET (US)
I think you are on the right path suggesting what you did with the bow rail repair.
Drill your holes, and then push a small allen wrench through the hole (short leg). Chuck the long leg into a drill, and spin it around to create a void. Use a shop vacuum to suck out the debris, and inject thickened epoxy to create a "puck" that acts as a backing plate.
Once this cures, mount as instructions show.

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Author	Topic: Attaching Bracket to Sport 15 Transom
Moultrie Creek	posted 02-25-2015 08:34 PM ET (US) I have been the proud owner of a 1981 vintage Sport 15 for the past 17 years, and I finally have a question that was not already answered on this site. I would like to screw a stick anchor bracket (for a popular brand name think "Wang Anchor") to the transom in a location where I know there is no wood backing and no possibility of through-bolting. The question I have is will the fiberglass support attachment of the bracket assuming I use four 1/4 inch diameter screws and a suitable amount of 3M 5200? The width of the distinctive Whaler "greenline" just above leads (or maybe misleads) me to believe that the fiberglass may be thick enough to support an anchor mount on the transom. Before a lot of energy is spent proposing alternative locations or styles of bracket, please understand that 90% of my reason for installing a bracket in this particular location far to the port side of the motor is to utilize screw holes already existing in the transom from an accessory removed long ago. This former accessory is actually unknown to me as it was removed before I acquired the boat, although it most likely was some type of swim ladder based on the attachment that remains. It is only by coincidence that I noticed the screw holes could match up nicely with an anchor mount. If this crazy idea risks damage to my beloved boat, I will be perfectly content to plug the holes properly and continue to utilize my stick anchor with a rope and stainless ring like I have for some time now. Thank you in advance for any words of wisdom you may have!
Jeff	posted 02-25-2015 08:42 PM ET (US) You are going to end up with stripped holes and a large piece of missing gelcoat if you just "Screw and Glue" it to the transom. To properly mount it, you should drill all the way through and thru-bolt it in place.
Binkster	posted 02-26-2015 09:53 AM ET (US) Jeff is right, don't just screw and glue anything to the transom. Thing is, the design of the transom on the 15 footer makes it difficult to though bolt. If you can install it on the cutout portion of the transom, you can run a bolt through at a depth of about 12" from the top but if you need to go to the outer part there is no wood backing at all and maybe only 6" of depth to through bolt. I ran into this problem installing a folding ladder on my transom. rich
Moultrie Creek	posted 02-26-2015 08:52 PM ET (US) I appreciate your responses. I was thinking along those lines myself, however I was clinging to some hope it might work because I received the anchor bracket as a gift and didn't want to dispose of it without asking around first. One option that did occur to me was to drill out the holes large enough to dig away some foam and inject epoxy behind the fiberglass. This might provide some "substance" I could re-drill and screw into. I did this to nearly all the bow rail screws after they worked loose and had great results - almost 10 years later the rail is rock solid after the abuse of dragging my boat on and off the trailer and countless beaches. However, I expect there might be a lot more stress applied to an anchor bracket, and I could easily end up with four bigger holes and a patch of missing gelcoat going this route. Does anybody see potential with this idea, or is it simply a more invasive "glue and screw" technique? Thanks again! Casey
Binkster	posted 02-27-2015 11:48 AM ET (US) Here is an idea that will work. Bolt it to an aluminumm plate. I don't know the size of your stick anchor bracket. Measure the size of your bracket add two inches to the width and the length, then buy a piece of 3/8" or 1/4" polished aluminum plate from you local T-Top/Tower builder, or aluminum fabricator. Drill holes in this piece in the location of the bolt holes in your bracket, and countersink the holes on the backside. Next drill holes in the front side at about 2" centers and countersik those holes. Run stainless flathead bolts through the bracket holes from the back so you can bolt your stick anchor to the plate. Coat the backside of the plate with 5200 and screw it to the transome. Let it cure for a week and it will be there forever. rich
Plotman	posted 03-09-2015 08:27 AM ET (US) I think you are on the right path suggesting what you did with the bow rail repair. Drill your holes, and then push a small allen wrench through the hole (short leg). Chuck the long leg into a drill, and spin it around to create a void. Use a shop vacuum to suck out the debris, and inject thickened epoxy to create a "puck" that acts as a backing plate. Once this cures, mount as instructions show.