Mounting a new Trolling motor on the old girl, now I am doubting things...

[webertime]

Background:
I run a Ranger 374V. Recently I acquired a 52” 74lb Minnkota Maxxum (very little use, cost nearly nothing). I had a 45” 76lb Motorguide Energy mounted on it. I live on Champlain and want the added length.
When I removed the MG I found 6 little rubber gaskets/plugs that the bolts ran through. They had Motorguide stamped on them, so I know that they were supposed to be there, however they are pretty deformed and torn. In addition to that, one of the mounting holes on the top cap has some pretty significant spider webbing radiating out from it. The mounting holes without the plugs are 5/8” (HUGE), that has me concerned with a tight fit.

Now when I test fit the Maxxum, the holes lined up with the old MG holes and all looked ok, until I noticed the head or the TM was hanging out over the side of the boat by a significant amount. One of the side mounted MK bump busters would potentially miss even the top cap.

So now I know I need to re-drill/mount the Maxxum.

Questions:
How best do I fill the holes from the MG?

Should I switch the Maxxum over to the right side to avoid the compromised section? Is it even compromised?
OR
Keep it on the left as the filled old holes and the new holes I would have to drill would be strong enough?

[akaslyguy]

I would go to a hardware store or hobby store and buy some wooden dowels that would fit tightly into the existing holes. Cut them the length you want them to be....color the top of the wooden dowel with a magic marker, something relatively close to the color of your boat in that area, then put some silicone (I used Boatlife life seal, clear) in the hole and tap the dowel pieces down into the holes.... recessing them a little. Then seal the top with some more silicone and level it off with a razor blade or something.

[STEVECABASS]

I have an 82 V350 I am restoring. I had 25+ holes at the nose. I used marine tex and tinted it to match the boat base color. I have a silver flake so when the marine tex was almost cured I sprinkled matching silver flake onto the epoxy. I plan to apply gel coat over that and it will be almost unnoticeable and stronger than the original material. I posted a before and an after. the after only captures a couple of the final repair, but gives you an idea.

[emeraldkitty]

Here ya go!

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Motor...ge-MGMIMM.html

[PowerFish]

^^^^^^^
This, just get new mounting isolaters, just easier than trying to fix something that is not broken... I highly doubt that cracking you see is much more than gelcoat/stress cracks. Very common...

Now, look closely at that Maxxum mount, I'm betting there is 4 more holes further up that allow you to mount that TM with better alignment off the bow... If not, it's not that painful to drill 4 new holes where you want them... I have 8 holes under my motorguide, 4 for whatever the previous owners did and 4 for the motorguide that is on there now. I filled the 4 others with silicone in the event I change motors and mounts later...