I have an inflatable plus 4hp merc,transom to thin?

Question

The engine mounting bolts do not close enough to tighten on the transom. How do i thicken the transom to make it fit pls?

Answer 1

A whole new transom might be the best but for only 4 hp you can probably just build it up a bit.
Glue a peice of either 1 X 6 or 2 X 6 onto it using wood screws to help the glue. The wood thickness will depend on how much you need to thicken your transom, probably the 1" thick will do it.
Use a tough peice of wood, I would suggest douglas fir or oak. Use waterproof glue and rust-resistant screws. You can get both of these at any home improvement store.
When you try it out, watch the transom very carefully the first time and look for any cracking or flexing.
Tie a piece of safety rope to the motor and onto the boat in someplace other than the transom, there are a lot of boat motors in the bottom of lakes and rivers that woulndt be if they had done this.
This is not difficult, you can do it, good luck!!!

Answer 2

Is the transom made for a outboard>? Build 1 out of marine plywood and bolt it on>

Answer 3

All good answers, but also consider putting a "painter line" on your motor, in the event that the transom fails, or something untoward happens, so that your outboard doens't settle to the bottom of the sea.