Looking like another bodge job to get through summer.

[Rhylsailer99]

A few days back I went into reverse and there was a bad knocking noise, my first thought was the engine was about to blow.
Once on my mooring I checked the engine and noticed the screw holding one of the mounts to the fiberglass had came loose again.
I think I am going to fiberglass it in place then in the winter I will have to remove the mount and cut away the top as I think the wood inside is rotten as the screw has nothing to bite into .
Its a cobra 850, I think the engine sits on glassed in wooden beams that are now rotten inside the fiberglass.

 

[bedouin]

Could you try giving it a good dose of "wood hardener" then filling and screwing into that?

 

[Rhylsailer99]

Could you try giving it a good dose of "wood hardener" then filling and screwing into that?

I did that last year and its come loose again but I filled the hole with epoxy. I will post a pic now and you can see the mount does not fit properly.

 

[Rhylsailer99]

You can see just to the right of the screw where it's come loose and has rubbed some of the fiberglass away.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Is the second shiny screw a previous bodge? If it is remove it and bend the plate back straight then cut away the end fibreglass to expose the wood and remove the rotten remnants. then epoxy in a new piece of hardwood. It should get you through the summer until you can lift the engine and glass in new bearers.

 

[Rhylsailer99]

Is the second shiny screw a previous bodge? If it is remove it and bend the plate back straight then cut away the end fibreglass to expose the wood and remove the rotten remnants. then epoxy in a new piece of hardwood. It should get you through the summer until you can lift the engine and glass in new bearers.

I guess so but not by myself. when I bought the boat I did not have much idea on what to look for, now I would spot all the previous owner bodges. that sounds like a good plan to be honest, I will have a look next time I get to the boat.

 

[Refueler]

My Sunrider had Beech or Oak Bearers ... one mount failed and that 4-99 Perkins sounded as though it was going to bash its way out of the boat !!

I bit the bullet and got engineer in and said - sort it ...

What a nightmare. Guy who fitted that engine originally must have bolted to the bearers BEFORE installing into the hull. The bolts were too long to come out the underside of bearers - too long to allow engine to rise vertically off them ..
He had to cut the whole affair out and lift engine and bearers as one.
Once out - the wood bearers - which were as OP's rotting ... removed from engine ... new mounts obtained .. and angle iron was used instead of wood for the new bearers ... this allowed bolts etc and better access top and under ...

I have to admit that I would not be confident of using hardening compound or epoxy ... or splicing in ... for me - I want continuous bearer ....

 

[Wansworth]

I am afraid in those days boat fitters we’re not the crede la crème and probably had very little training and the bosses thought once it’s covered in glass no one will know……they weren’t meant to to last solong

 

[bedouin]

At the very least I would cut away some of the fibreglass - or drill a 1inch hole - to get a better idea of what you are dealing with. If the bearers are rotten and there is only a thin layer of fibreglass then there might not be much holding the engine into the boat and I am not sure I would be comfortable with that.

If you think there is enough strength in the fibreglass then you could use a nut and bolt.

 

[Rhylsailer99]

Think I have managed to sort it .
I replaced the 6mm coach screw for a slightly longer 8mm one, and I managed to get a lot of pressure on the screw.

 

[Hadenough]

Think I have managed to sort it .
I replaced the 6mm coach screw for a slightly longer 8mm one, and I managed to get a lot of pressure on the screw.

Get the 10mm one ready.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Get the 10mm one ready.

And then the 12mm one.