Digging out globbs of silicone is a PIA no doubt, but it does stop the leaks. For a neat tip, I use fine line paint tape....mock the transom adapter into position, mask about 3/16th away from the adapter, then mask about the same on the adapter it's self. Repeat the same steps on the bowl and adapter too. Remove the adapter, apply silicone to the areas where there is penetration thru the hull, such as mounting holes....a thin bead around them, and the same around the transom adapter. Now you can install the adapter and tighten it into position, and wipe off any silicone that squeezes out. Now run a bead around the bowl and adapter, wet your finger and run it around on the silicone, this forms a nice filet. Pull the fine line off the bowl/adapter, and your half done. Now hull/adapter repeat the same process, apply silicone bead around the adapter, wet finger and smooth the silicone all the way around. Now pull off the fine line tape, and you have a truely pro silicone job, that people will wonder how you got it so smooth
For extra protection use an additional strip of masking tape on the hull and bowl, to help prevent any silicone accidently getting applied where it's not wanted.
Exactly what I used last time! Worked great.
I marked the T.A. OD, then ground a small groove in transom (like an O ring groove) in transom. Just inside the OD mark and around each bolt hole.
I didn't have the nice Berk adaptor with a gasket and O ring, so I have to seal the bowl too.
I also used it to seal bowl, thinking I can always put a bead of silicon over it.
i chickened out and went with the black silicone and the tape trick, still looks like shiat compared to a gasket. i'm gonna build a flush mount adapter this winter so it'l work till then i guess
When I bought my boat, the TA looked like this
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...ahner/rea1.jpg
It now looks like this
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l2...r/DSC01009.jpg
When I installed the TA, I used a light coat of silicone between the TA and the transom. I then used an aluminum metalflake gutter sealant on the joint between TA/transom and the TA/bowl. I taped it all off first as mentioned above and it came out great. You just need to pull the tape off not too long after apllying the sealant.
looks tons better cas!
i pulled the tape at the rite time, just hate seeing silicone on the outside of my boat when i'm doin everything i can to make the boat a clean lake monsteri went home at lunch and looked at it again, looks ok for now. i think next time i do this type of transom adapter, i'm gonna cut some grooves into the adapter and use the strip calking in the grooves, i know it'll work!
Tom, now take an exacto knife and trace the outer edge of the transom plate lightly, and shazammmm silicone gone.........
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