Installing 200hp to Basscat...silicone used on transom?

Hey all

Been trying to go through new/used boat to me(2013 P4 2013 200 xs) tightening bolts etc..

Noticed what looks like silicone between jackplate and transom..appears the silicone has been disturbed and nut/bolt connections were snug but not super tight as I could tighten more.

Thinking about separating engine with engine puller and redoing connection. Wondering if in fact it is just silicone used or some kind of special epoxy?

I had a P3 for nearly 19 years and never had these bolts loosen. :rolleyes:

Thanks for any help

It is a commercial grade of marine silicone. Nothing extreme and it is not uncommon to have to tighten any transom bolts, not a lot on a Bass Cat as the all fiberglass transom is extremely hard to compress. Some brands have extensive compression on urethane foam transoms and your Pantera III would most likely have been wood transom unless it was a 2001 and later. Then it would have been the same transom as today’s and there have been Zero failures of those transoms. We have seen only four need attention from multiple impacts, which also removed (knocked off) engines, parts or brackets.

BCB

Thanks for the reply..3M marine sealant possibly?

We don’t use 3M and Dow Corning was the original silicone. Take your pick on brand.

one good one is 3M 4200. 5200 is way strong and if you ever want to remove the jack plate, stick with 4200. Will last forever and is just south of a full-grown PITA to remove...

BTW a good way to repair is to use a shotgun bore cleaning brush and an electric drill. That will clean out the hole thru the transom easily. Getting the stuff off the inside/outside of the transom will require at least a little cursing...

Haha.. Now thats a reply with some great info! :beers:

Would you use/suggest applying thread locker blue to the bolts?

Thanks again!

Nylon lock nuts should not need LokTite.

I agree. And that avoids mixing the chemistries of the room-temp vulcanizing stuff with whatever goes into loctite. Done similar more than once and gotten an unexpectedly bad result as a result...

:thumb up2: