[TroutTrent]

All,

I have a local boat lift that I would like to use. Unfortunately my Mitzi does not have any lifting eyes installed on the Transom. I have some 3/8" "U-bolts" or lifting eyes, 5200, and some plastic sheet to help avoid cranking down on the transom. I plan on having the "U" side of the bolt face the bow as to avoid the poling platform which sticks out behind the boat. My thought is that i would drill a 5/16" hole in the transom (after measuring 100 times) lather up the bolts and plastic sheet in 5200 and tighten them down. Am I missing something?

The hull is a 2001 15' Mitzi. I'm under the assumption that there is no wood in the transom and the boat is fairly light (older 40hp 2-stroke) so I'm not too worried about the weight of the boat. Should I be?

Needless to say I'm somewhat nervous about drilling 4 holes into a perfectly good boat. Is there any advise you would give me before going nuclear?

 

[Smackdaddy53]

If it’s a cored transom you might sleeve the bolts so when you tighten them down it doesn’t compress the transom and has something solid to tighten against.

 

[yobata]

Or "pot" the holes by over drilling, filling with thickened epoxy, then drilling to correct size. It creates a sleeve of epoxy that should prevent water from ever touching the core. (Still use 4200/5200)