The objective of this discussion is to mount a kicker motor on a moveable mounting bracket which allows the motor to be raised or lowered as needed. It is necessary to keep saltwater from entering the transom, going past the fiberglass into the bulkhead. Any intrusion of water will in turn tend to soften and rot the transom. At the same time, the kicker has to be mounted in a location where it has the most efficiency and steerability without deflection or pulling to the side. The closer to the center line, the better---as long as it does not interfere with the main engine turning radius.
Level the transom of the boat using a jack under the rear axle of the trailer. Attach the kicker mount to the engine. Stand it up and rest it on something soft to protect the blade. With the engine upright and the kicker mount extended to the run position, measure from the bottom of the mount to the lowest point of the engine.
Determine whether the engine is wider than the mount. If it is, then measure the width of the mount and the width of the engine. Subtract the size of the mount from the size of the engine and divide the difference be 2. Add the answer to the size of the mount. This will be taken into consideration for clearance. If mounting the kicker on the left side of the transom turn the steering wheel all the way to the left so you can locate the kicker mount as close to the engine and center line as possible without interference.
Hold the kicker mount against the transom and measure 6 inches from the main engine plus the difference for the kicker width if any. Place the tape measure 1 foot below the hull and measure upwards from that point the measurement taken from the mount to the bottom of engine. The propeller must be below the hull in clear water. Level the kicker mount and mark it well.
Mark the holes with a marker on the hull. Lay the mount down and put masking tape over the spots that the holes will be drilled and remark. Drill the holes with the appropriate drill. Once the holes are drilled, seal the inside circumference of the holes with RTV silicone using your finger. The idea is to coat the wood with silicone to prevent the possibility of water leakage into the wood and rotting.
Put silicon around the holes and in a square around the inside of the mount. Install the mount with large washers under the bolts on both sides to distribute the pressure more evenly. Use marine caulk to seal the outside of the mount.
Mount the motor to the kicker mount. The mount will hold the engine in the upright position with the prop out of the water. Loosen the side brackets by hand and lower the motor. Once lowered just tighten the side brackets to keep the engine from lifting when power is applied.
