Inflatable boat transom mounting

[pottsda]

I have a new Saturn 18 ft inflatable, with new Suzuki 25. Motor manual STRONGLY recommends hard mounting motor thru transom rather than relying on clamp screws. Id rather not; bother with hard mount since I will be installing and removing engine frequently, nor would I want to lose my new motor to the depths. What is the experience in people using only the clamp screws when outboarding with inflatables?

 

[southkogs]

Dunno' what your transom looks like, and I'm not really experienced with inflatables. But I've had tiller motors clamped to transoms for ages - but I always have a safety chain connected from the outboard to the boat. If the clamps let go, the motor will probably go swimming. But hopefully it won't go diving.

Welcome aboard.

 

[GA_Boater]

Howdy, pottsda.

Like SK said about using a safety chain or cable in case the clamps loosen. It might take some inventiveness to find a place to connect the chain to the boat, there isn't much to grab onto short of drilling the transom to add an eye to attach the chain/cable.

You could look at adding a cable, but a clamp lock may be a good solution. With the lock installed, the clamps can't spin and loosen the motor on the transom.

Here is one of many found on the Interweb - https://www.********.com/Boat-Motor-.../FOML0127.html

Oooops - That link is to a competitor. Here is the manufacturer link - https://www.fultonperformance.com/products/locks/motor-locks/fcEF84BsoWAMNaeqJZEvW5lUgPw4iS7T

 

[JimS123]

Once I saw a motor fall off just as he was coming up to the launch ramp. What a sight! You can just imagine grabbing onto the safety cable and trying to pull a 25 back into the boat.....LOL.

I have never run a clampon with just the clamps. If the motor had mounting holes I used them. If not, I drilled them. My 2 current 4-stroke Mercs have a rod thru the bottom tilt pin hole, connected to an I-bolt run thru the transom.

One SS bolt and a washer and wingnut and she's on and off in a minute with no hassle.