Outboard mounting bolts

[GoneDiving]

Guys, how normal is it to have to through bolt a 15hp outboard to the transom?

I have a Yam 15hp 2 stroke powering my 14' aluminium tender. The regular flanged mounting bolts are tight but the motor still has play on the transom and you can hear it creaking when at full power coming up on plane. There appears to be no grip between the bracket and the 1/4" starboard on the outside rear of the transom. It's not freeplay in the linkages or pins. They are tight.

The freeplay and cracking/ creaking is enough that I'm literally worried about the outboard falling off one day.

Am I being paranoid? Is it typical to have to through bolt these smaller outboards?

Thanks

PS I should add that while I don't want to go randomly drilling into my transom, I'm not against having it permanently mounted. I never need to remove the outboard.

 

[Osprey69]

Are the mounting bolts bottomed out? Is the inner and outer vertical surfaces of dinghy transom fully engaged with engine or is there daylight between boat and motor mounts?

 

[GoneDiving]

Are the mounting bolts bottomed out? Is the inner and outer vertical surfaces of dinghy transom fully engaged with engine or is there daylight between boat and motor mounts?

The existing bolts are tight but not bottoming out. However they are about half way down the mount assembly which allows the motor to "rock" around this line.

I guess I can either add insertion rubber/4200 to take up the free play or add bolts thru the transom so that all the bolts are spaced out on a plane not just a straight line.

Thanks

 

[Mac2]

That starboard spacer would be my first guess. I would say to start with a designated motor mount first. Nothing is going to stick to that starboard, so even if you through bolt it, whatever you use to seal between the transom and starboard is going to fail.

 

[Bmarler]

That’s kind of a goofy setup. I’d prefer to through bolt the motor to the transom and use good sturdy backers inside the hull vs a spacer on the outside.
If the transom is too round for the motor to sit snug against the aluminum, maybe look into a solid type motor mount to fit the transom and give a nice flat surface for the motor to snug up to.

 

[tiltrider1]

I find thru bolting to be the best theft deterrent.