Remove F225 Outboards with Cherry Picker

Glad it worked out for you, but it wasn’t what I was expecting to see. I think of a cherry picker as something with a bucket.

That's pretty cool. Took some nads to do that I'm sure.

I've done that before. How else would you do that really? Thats what its for. it was $99 at HF!
Think of using it to set my current motors off to the side without disconnecting. I THINK it can be done. I need to do a little work on the lower bolt holes.

FYI. I repowered my 265 a few years ago. Work done by dealer. I didn't have any transom work done. The cap is well sealed, though certainly not shiny and new.
They just bolted new motors on. If I had time,and weather, and was doing it myself, I would have glassed over the transom seam.

But my main point is the lower holes. The inside glass is never flat and smooth. The washers tend to cut into the glass over time. Replacing bolts and tightening will eventually make it worse.
I suggest putting a wider glass "eyepatch" over each inside lower hole. I am assuming that I can work through the motorwell pieholes.
Since you have your motors off, Please tell me if I am wrong!

Also, use lower transom plates. I've been looking at some that are not cast aluminum, they are rolled plate.
I had the typical cast transom plate on my old boat and it eventually cracked.

Yup, as long as the picker can go high enough it's an easy job. It's really not hard to pull an outboard - in fact, it's quite easy. It just "looks" intimidating, but it's just one big "thing" - 4 bolts a few wires/hoses/cables and it's done.

Skunk... for you interior, lower holes - consider a piece of 2" or 3" aluminum flat stock, 1/4" thick. Get a piece that will extend from one hole to the other with a couple inches left over on either side. Or, "upgrade" to an aluminum angle iron of the same dimensions and REALLY reinforce that transom.

DennisG01 said:

Skunk... for you interior, lower holes - consider a piece of 2" or 3" aluminum flat stock, 1/4" thick. Get a piece that will extend from one hole to the other with a couple inches left over on either side. Or, "upgrade" to an aluminum angle iron of the same dimensions and REALLY reinforce that transom.

Click to expand...

thats what I meant by rolled plate... 1/4" or 3/8" flat aluminum

Yup - that will work! I didn't realize from what you wrote that you were also talking about using those on the inside, as well.

Vocz... another thing you could "add" as long you've got the engine off, and is quite simple... is to better protect the wood core inside the holes. Freshen it up with a drill bit and then soak the core (multiple times) with epoxy or poly resin. Poly is very inexpensive and works just as well in this case. A pipe cleaner works well for applying resin. This essentially completely seals the wood from possible water intrusion.

vocz said:

Absolutely. Thank you for the helpful advice!

Click to expand...

Sure!

The first time you apply it, it will soak in very quickly. Come back a few minutes later and do it again. Keep doing that until it's still wet and shiny (no longer soaking in) after about 15 minutes.

The dealer installed the upper and lower bolts from the inside. Threads outside on all. This is common but not ideal. The uppers have to go that way so there are no threads inside the motorwell to rub on things.

The lowers should go from outside-in with threads inside. (many service manuals actually show this) Reason is that the lower holes are always underwater. There are no flat washers to help seal up the hole because you go thru the bracket holes. The bolts are smooth most of the way with threads at the end. From outside, coat the smooth part of bolts and push thru bracket and the clean threads go in the transom hole and into the inside. No mess. Hole is fully sealed outside.
If you go the other way, the threads come into the bracket hole. There is an inch of space. Thats not easy to seal. you are blind. Also, in some cases the threads will block access to bolts holding the PTT.

I found I had a dribbly lower bolt.
Hence my newest project. I have been looking at it more today and am leaning towards not removing motors. Just clean up inside a little and,as Dennis said, get some resin in there and use two lower transom plates and be done so I can launch ontime and go fishing. I don't want project creep....

As for uppers. FYI,
if I put thick upper transom plates in motorwell, my zuke with the steering ram will be limited in up travel. It may not get all the way out of the water.

Wool shoe polish daubers are good for that.

I did it this way with 2 motor hoists. FYI- make sure those hoists are holding pressure. We left them hanging overnight as we ran out of daylight and the next morning one has slowly lost pressure and my starboard motor was pretty much hanging by the control cables. other than that, easy Peezy.

Great job Dennis!!