Fitting Transom Wheels - Tips?

[nojslokin]

Will soon be fitting transom wheels to my new Honwave T32. Dreading drilling holes in my new boat but it's got to be done! The instructions that came with the wheel kit are pretty rubbish but I guess it's all fairly intuitive. Any tips which may stop me making silly mistakes or make the whole thing a little easier?

[Fenlander]

Have a look at post #4 in this thread and enlarge the image... http://www.rib.net/forum/f50/fitting...ave-36123.html

On the ones I've seen out and about they are like in that image... the shaped backplates guide you to a position where they fit against the material glued to the transom but without overlapping it.

Before drilling check you are happy they do not foul the tubes in the down or up position and that in the up position the outboard can turn fully.

Then when you are happy walk away for a couple of minutes before going back to check again before drilling.

[nojslokin]

Brilliant. Thanks for the link, looks very straightforward.

[Fenlander]

Oh yes... do drill a pilot first then increase the size. The Honwave transom is a sandwich of ply inner with a grp type skin each side. Even a moderate size drill can break a big chip off as it exits.

Also remember to Sikaflex seal the holes as the bolts go in.

Worth checking the bolt lengths with the kit before you start. Some folks have found the bolts too short for the nice chunky Honwave transom and needed replacements... in other cases they are far too long so you have to trim them down.

Finally if you like a neat job be very careful to keep the drill at 90deg to the transom on each drilling... otherwise on the inside it will look nothing like a regular square/rectangle of nuts.

[mikew4]

I wouldnt worry about Sikaflex in the holes. Any old silicon sealant will do. If it leaks, which it won't as the holes will likely be above the waterline, then reseal it.

To be honest, in a SIB on a wavey windy day you will have more water coming in over the side than anywhere else.

Speaking from personal experience when I had a SIB last season.

[Fenlander]

Mike it's just the Honwave has a timber core sandwiched inside a gel/grp type coating and I'd make best efforts to keep the wet from getting into that core.

[Max...]

Totally agree - definitely seal any holes properly.

This is good stuff too and much cheaper than genuine Sikaflex:

HIGH STRENGHT POLYURETHANE ADHESIVE & SEALANT GREY PU18 MARINE KOI FISH POND | eBay

Comes in a handy grey too.

When drilling holes always (as Fenny says) use a pilot hole first but also clamp a piece of wood to the backside very securely to prevent breakout. Once the pilot is drilled though you can go halfway from each side with progressively larger drills to be extra safe.

[Duluxdoggy]

having recently done this job, can I advise you to check the alignment of the holes the pins go through. I had to open mine up slightly to make the pin fit when the wheels are fitted.

And don't put the bracket hard up against the tube flange. as when you lift them up you won't be able to fit the pin easily (Read that somewhere).

I Fitted mine about 1/2 inch gap to the 'flange' where the tube joins onto the transom. see pic

And I had to shorten the supplied bolts by almost an inch.

considering these wheels cost around £200 not very impressed with these details.