Can’t reach lower transom mounting bolt!!

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mleads310

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Location
Brooklyn NY
Model
Sailfish
I have a 2001 282 sailfish. I’m here in the middle of a re power and can’t seem to reach the lower inner outboard mounting bolt. I opened the deck plate and can barely get my fingers on it because the stringer is in the way. My fear is if I remove it, which I have to because it’s stripped, that I won’t be able to slide a new one back in. Any tricks other than cutting out a larger deck plate?

Side note I will be doing some fiberglass over the seem at the band cap which will be easy in comparison to reaching this bolt.
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So tap that one out with the hammer, then there is a tool, I hope someone here can give the name, it's a wire, on one end it is curled. you put the curled in through the hole from the outside, then on the inside thread the new bolt in the curled end, and then pull it from the outside, pulling the new bolt through the hole. I've seen this used in automobile applications to get bolts in to frames. EDIT: This link is what I'm talking about, you'd need to find one that fits your bolt.
Wire bolt leader
 
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Bingo - the exact thing I was going to mention... thanks for doing the brunt of the typing, John! It's funny you linked to Curt - 30 years ago, I bought my first Curt trailer hitch and it came with that "tool". I had never seen that before - what a GREAT idea to get bolts into blind holes through a frame!

A skinny, flexible friend with long arms is another option.

You "might" be able to at get the bolt started into the hold - even if it's at a bit of angle from where you are holding it - and then tap it into the hole.

This is a good opportunity to drill the holes out a bit bigger, then fill with epoxy to soak into and totally encapsulate the wooden core, then re-drill your proper size hole.
 
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