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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Capri 25 Specific Forum

Motor mount

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jbuck
Deckhand

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9 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/18/2014 : 16:37:40

I just bought a 1982 Capri 25, my first boat. It has no motor but has the standard Garelick motor mount mounted on the port side of the stern. It is mounted with 4 bolts through the stern but no support inside the hull. Just four 1 1/2" washers. When you put pressure down on the mount the stern flexes. There are no cracks but it concerns me. Shouldn't there be some sort of backing plate inside the stern?

There are also 3 brackets in the center of the stern. Are these for some sort of motor mount? They appear to be original and the stern is much more rigid there.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

Edited by - on

jbuck
Deckhand

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9 Posts

Response Posted - 07/19/2014 : 04:28:15

OK, here is the photo I thought I included the first time....

Edited by - on

jmadd
1st Mate

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USA
84 Posts

Response Posted - 07/19/2014 : 09:12:30

I have no clue on the brackets. On my Capri there's a piece of wood backing the mount inside the transom. Mine is center mounted, not off to the side like yours.

Edited by - on

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 07/20/2014 : 05:25:25

Definitely should be a backing plate... an aluminum or steel backing plate is preferred. Like was said, the standard was a wood backing plate (which is subject to rot of course)...

The stern of the capri is notoriously flexible, and you'll want to distribute the weight as much as possible.

Edited by - on

usa 63
1st Mate

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USA
42 Posts

Response Posted - 07/20/2014 : 06:34:02

We used a piece of 1/4" G10 (pressed fiberglass) 1/4 was more than likely over kill as you can't bend a 12x12 1/8" piece. You can find it online and shipping won't kill you at that size. We once used a piece inside and outside of a hull when a price of hardware ripped out of the hull taking a 3" chunk of fiberglass. The stuff is super strong, the only downside is it will eat bits and blades.

Edited by - on

johngfoster
1st Mate

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USA
34 Posts

Response Posted - 08/04/2014 : 14:55:37

Ours is also center-mounted, but I haven't noticed a backing plate behind it. Ours is a 1984 vintage, I believe. Maybe I can get some pictures of it later this week.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 08/05/2014 : 06:58:20

I'm guessing what looks like three gudgeons were added by a DPO to make some outboard bracket easy to install and remove. I'm also guessing that outboard bracket and its outboard are on the bottom of some lake someplace near where the DPO put the motor in reverse and gunned it, leading to the more secure installation.

Edited by - on

johngfoster
1st Mate

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USA
34 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2014 : 01:25:52

Here're some pics of our motor mount:

No backing plate. No bolts through the transom. Motor mount is midline, not offset. I believe this is the original configuration, at least for a 1984 model.

ETA: sorry the pics are so small. Imageshack.us seems to have changed their "free" service to now only provide free hosting for thumbnails. I guess I'm going to need to look for another image hosting sight.

Edited by - johngfoster on 08/06/2014 01:34:19

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2014 : 06:30:15

quote:
Originally posted by johngfoster

...No backing plate. No bolts through the transom...

What?? Is it glued on?? (I hope you don't say wood screws...)

Edited by - on

johngfoster
1st Mate

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USA
34 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2014 : 10:58:18

quote:
Originally posted by Stinkpotter

quote:
Originally posted by johngfoster

...No backing plate. No bolts through the transom...
What?? Is it glued on?? (I hope you don't say wood screws...)

Honestly, I don't know. I haven't looked that closely. The motor feels secure and and I haven't had any problems with it. The only issue I've had has been in reverse, the motor seems to want to climb out of the water at high RPMs. Otherwise it has worked just fine. I suspect (just a suspicion--no confirmation here) that on our boat there is some reinforcement built into the transom. The mounting bolts/screws do not appear to go all the way through, as can be seen in the pictures. I could be wrong about this though.

Edited by - on

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2014 : 11:05:38

Amen... yeah I think there is a piece of lumber sandwidched in between layers of fiberglass midline of the stern. Mine has it, but then the motor mount on my boat is a heavy duty hydraulic mount, with a metal backing plate holding against the outer layer...

best picture I have of it

Edited by - shnool on 08/06/2014 11:05:53

jmadd
1st Mate

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USA
84 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2014 : 11:14:08

Oh, I bet they are going through. The transom is not solid, so there's a gap between the transom and the interior of the cockpit.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9013 Posts

Response Posted - 08/06/2014 : 20:30:01

quote:
Originally posted by johngfoster

The only issue I've had has been in reverse, the motor seems to want to climb out of the water at high RPMs.

Some outboards lock the tilt in reverse--some don't. The bracket should lock in the down position. But it's also common, when revving in reverse, to generate a vortex that sucks air down to the prop. It just happens.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 08/06/2014 20:31:35

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3992 Posts

Response Posted - 08/07/2014 : 04:58:21

The engine should have a reverse lock when shifted into reverse, Usually two hooks that drop down onto a pin that prevents the engine from climbing up out of the water. It could be that a spring is broken or something else isn't functioning properly on this reverse mechanism.

Edited by - on

Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 08/07/2014 : 08:30:58

The center brackets could be for a mast support: temporary installation, no real stress, and cradles the mast when raising/lowering and trailering.???

Edited by - on

GrapeTX
1st Mate

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28 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2015 : 14:17:26

I am working to bring a 2nd Capri 25 back to life. This current boat has the motor in the center and the top port side bolt is very loose. I crawled back there to try to tighten the nut but I could find no way to get my hands back their much less see the top bolts. I was able to use the camera on my phone to see back there and there is a wood backer.

My guess is they never tightened that bolt all the way because they could not reach it. Upon a closer look I also saw holes from a previous mount behind the current mount that look like they were just filled with a caulk substance and not epoxy filled.

Question is, is it advisable to cut out a hole and put in an inspection port on the inside layer of the transom that would provide access to those bolts? Other than that I see no way of reaching that small area. I have not seen anyone else having to do this so I can't figure out what I may be over looking.

New Owner of Hull 70

joearcht
Navigator

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USA
236 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2015 : 14:38:43

Good questions. If you study elsewhere in this forum you will see that the Capri 25 transom is a "weakness" in the boat. For that reason I'd be very careful with inspection ports unless they reinforced the transom some way. My boat has it's engine mount "though" bolted into the cockpit. I don't think there is much blocking with that installation, but capturing both surfaces of the transom appears to be a stronger solution than just one surface. It's NOT pretty, but so far I've not notice too much stress in that area.
I only use a 2 hp motor now, but the boat came with a 6 hp mounted on it so I know it was stress greater in the past. Too much motor for me (racing her now). Good luck!

Joe W Hiller Jr
1985 Capri 25
Hull #433

GrapeTX
1st Mate

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28 Posts

Response Posted - 09/09/2015 : 09:16:58

Thanks for the reply Joe.

I can see the transom being a weak spot on the capri 25 because it is just a single layer of fiberglass with about 3" of solid reinforcement where it connect with the bottom. From what I am seeing, I cannot see where the inside wall of the cockpit provides much structural support if any for the transom because the only connection points appear to be the scuppers.

If I do cut the inspection hole I will probably add a solid block to connect the cockpit wall to the transom for peace of mind.

New Owner of Hull 70

shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 09/11/2015 : 06:51:20

Inspection port on the inside is a proper way to address the problem... the hole will not be a weak point. You should consider addressing the structure of the stern and backing plate of the motor mount for sure in this way. The missing link to your puzzle is that there are essentially 2x4s with holes drilled in them, where the scuppers come through the stern on either side of a center mounted motor mount. Its ALSO not long-term design, as the wood rots, and the scuppers leak and eventually the wood disintegrates. A better solution would be to install an inboard inspection port (or 2), directly above and inboard of the scuppers. An ambitious person might remove all the wood blocking, and install G10 backing, and reglass/reinforce the whole stern especially around the motor mount. As part of this job, I'd consider reglassing around the scuppers, and reinforcing that whole section as well.

Those 2x4s are likely ALL that is keeping many Capri 25s sterns from flexing much. The offset motor mount is something I wish I had had on my Capri... even though it's not the original location its a better location for the motor. It also provides room for a center mounted swim ladder, and/or a place to hang a mast upper if you trailer a significant amount.

Happy glassing (and I love glassing where people can't see, it doesn't need to be pretty then, just functional).

C&C 32 Smith Mountain Lake Virginia

Edited by - shnool on 09/11/2015 06:53:50

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 01/12/2016 : 14:36:20

I would agree with Ape-X that the 3 gudgeon brackets are/were for a mast support for trailering or winter haul-out.
You might also consider a piece of 1/4" thick synthetic wood like the cutting board material for a backing plate. That's what I used on our C25 on the inside of the transom. We also put a 1/2" piece on the outside between the mount and the transom.

DavidP
1975 C-22 SK #5459 "Shadowfax" Fleet 52
PO of 1984 C-25 SK/TR #4142 "Recess"
Percy Priest Yacht Club, Hamilton Creek Marina, Nashville, TN

Edited by - dmpilc on 01/12/2016 14:40:11

Seahawk
Deckhand

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USA
14 Posts

Response Posted - 03/17/2016 : 19:41:24

Found the Catalina drawing that shows the three gudgeons are for a motor mount. Also shows transom area around mount is backed up with 4mm coremat. Drawing dated April 1980. No idea if this was used throughout the production run. No information about the mount itself.

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