Fuel Water Separator - Mod Install

[boatnamesue]

1976 170

Need to relocate the fuel water separator to the transom, but I don’t want to secure the bracket by drilling into the transom.  Instead I’m thinking of using the same method used by stern saver.  For those not familiar with this I’ve attached photos.  I’d use a block of starboard and epoxy it to the transom then screw the bracket into the block.  My only concern is the epoxy strength to hold the weight of the bracket/filter/fuel....which isn’t much, but certainly weighs more than a transducer bracket.  Your thoughts?

[RickK]

I'd be afraid that the epoxy won't stick to the starboard. I laminated about 8 layers of 1708 together and then epoxied the block to the transom and also another to where the transducer went.

[mshugg]

This is a solid idea.  Fewer holes=Fewer opportunities for water in core. Epoxy may work temporarily, but will eventually let go of the starboard.If you can, use 5200, and take a couple of extra steps in the prep.  Be sure to rough up both surfaces, especially the starboard, then the use a torch to oxidize the surface of the starboard. Just lightly pass a blow torch over the surface.  Then apply 5200 and clamp until cured.

I did this to mount a fuel water separator to the hull side of a small skiff.  I treated the starboard as above.  added small saw kerfs to really rough the surface up.  Once the 5200cured, you couldn’t knock it off with a hammer, and 5 years later everything was still solid.

[TooLoose]

I'd second Mshugg's suggestion.

I've taken the same approach with starboard when (1) covering an old hole for a new trolling motor plug and (2) mounting a puck to the starboard gunnel for all the lines and houses that were re routed from the original line channel. Perhaps a little less weight on my applications, but both are very solid.

Just curious... hesitating to drill into the transom simply because [more holes] = [more opportunity for water intrusion] or do you think the holes affect the integrity of the transom?

 - Mark

[boatnamesue]

Appreciate the input guys.  I have 2 stern savers mounted on waterside transom, 1 port and the other starboard, that hold my bait well pump and lowrance transducer.  Been a couple years since I mounted these and no sign of issue.  In fact, they are stuck on so firm it’s the reason I haven’t installed trim tabs...cause I’m afraid removing the stern savers will take chunks of transom with it.  So I know the epoxy-starboard interaction will hold firm.  Just a question of how much weight can be applied w/o comprising the bond integrity.  Guess there is only one way to find out.

[CTsalt12]

I used 5200 and cleaned up the hull and roughed up the starboard for my stern saver that my ducer is mounted on.  It’s held up for a few years, even when mounted on the ablative painted bottom (cleaned as much as possible off). 

I would go that route as others have suggested.

[CTsalt12]

I wonder if a similar mod could be done for trim tabs.  Obviously a lot more surface area.  I really don’t want to drill all those holes in my transom.