Saildrive isolation ring mount cracked

[Kyedmcc]

New member from Iowa here. I am refitting a fresh water lightly used (dozen times)1982 O'Day 25' with her (<2 tanks of pre-mix) 15hp omc zephyr sail drive. She has 9-2"x2"x4" wood spacer blocks that are fiberglassed and epoxy puttied to hull and are supporting omc isolation mounting plate. Standing on top of these wood spacer blocks are 9-3/8"x2" farmer bolts (square heads) acting as studs to mount sail drives isolation ring to. All 9 wood blocks seam firmly bonded to the hull. What worries me are the cracks in the fiberglass/putty around the farmer bolt heads where bolts are bonded to the tops of wood blocks. I know that vibration from omc will work on worsening this situation and ultimately will create a leaky hull. I know more than half of you will tell me to yank out the 35 year old 2 cycle antique OMC Zephyr, plug the hole and hang a small 4 stroke on her. I would if I could but money is real tight and I am a D.I.Y. sort of guy. Back in late 80's my old man and me had a 12' Dargel Skooter with a jack plate for fishing the Laguna Madre flats behind S.P.I. TX.. we had this same year Evinrude power head and we fished the flats HARD two or three times a day. That outboard was reliable and held up to salt water. So Im familiar with this series of motor. I am planning to clean up area, then de-wax with acetone, sand wit 50 grit to roughen up and knock down high spots so fiberglass cloth will lay down, de-wax again, then use epoxy and two layers of 3" selvage fiberglass tape to over wrap tops of old wood blocks and the square bolt heads where the cracks are. Any of my new friends out there with any ideas or actual experience repairing some thing along the lines of my old gals sail drive mounting problems tell me what you think. Your time and knowledge are appreciated. I am going to post pictures of omc isolation ring mount in my sailboat along with the instructions for installing my OMC ZEPHYR STERN DRIVE. Does any one know how many Zephyrs Outdoor Motor Company made back in the day (1976?-1985?) then I have to wonder how many are still in use! Thanks, ky

 

[jakedaawg]

Might want to post this in the hull restoration forum...more of that kind of issue. That and there might be 3 of the 6 they built left ...haha just kidding on the last part...welcime to the forum by the way.