Budman, Wedges would help but they might cause other issues. My manifolds use screw in studs and they are not that long. After adding the lube bottle on the starboard side and the oil filter on the right there are no threads left once put together. I could get longer studs but my holes are also off to the left, not just down. With the riser removed there is room but not a lot, I can get it done but it will be tuff.

Not two minutes ago I had a thought which should work and make it easier. I now have two 4 inch hole saws. I'm going to take both of them to the welding shop tomorrow and see if they can cut the back off one and weld the two together. This will give me at least 2 1/2 inches of depth. this way I can cut the hole all from the outside.

I'll get it all back together and this fall or spring I'll get back to making it look pretty with new gelcoat and all. You actually have to be floating in the water to see under my swim deck. No biggy this season I'm just want it in the water and enjoy it so and also before my warranty runs out.

Cut half way through, then just pry the piece out and continue. I just did a bunch of holes like that last week. A small flathead screwdriver should pop the piece right out. The plywood isn't laminated "that" strong

I like the thought but I want to reuse it on the bottom of the hole. Did you do the same and if so did it go back together ok?

Seriously Dodge, this is painful to read. By the looks of your project, you probably posess above average skills. Go back to post #111 and see if it makes sense to you. I'll never be able to write a technical article so I'm not sure if its easy to comprehend, so if it needs further explanation, just ask. Point is, if I can do it, then almost anyone can. It will easily and cheaply address your problem. And for the record, its not my idea, I read it years ago in a Bob Teague article in Power Boat magazine.

Sure appreciate the input and I re-read the post. Discussed the possibilities of doing something like what you mentioned yesterday. While it could be angled down and to the left doing something similar, this would increase the down angle. Increasing this angle would make it harder to get a hose to connect as I see it. I think it could be done if the pipe was cut further back, angled down then back up, which I would need more pipe and basically make the pipes like the pipes EMI makes.

Do 2 angles then. Address this issue with mods to the riser, its your quickest and cheapest solution. You are just digging a bigger hole for yourself cutting up the transom.

I hear but don't quite agree. Fixing the transom should not be that hard and epoxy will make a strong bond along with glass. If I fix it this time and I need to replace the exhaust in the future it should be easier.

Going to pickup a holes saw from the welder, he took two of them and put them together so I will have enough to go clear through from one side. Spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out where to cut. I did find out that the pipes or manifolds are slightly different. Don't know if it's top of the milled surface of the manifold or the pipes but on comes down about 1/4 inch below the other. Swapped them back and forth a few times to make sure.

Did notice when I was aligning the engine, the port side is almost clear to the top and the starboard is about 1/2 inch down from the top. It was close to that originally so it came that way.

Decided to find center of the pipes and how they would come out if it was solid thru, then change the angle where the tips will enter at a 15 degree difference. The dark mark is where I plan to cut. Also raised them about a 1/4 inch due to less angle.

Port side


Starboard side

Have drilled the holes and I'm pleased how they came out. Having a saw which can be used clear through is a big plus. Also being able to measure where the holes should be moved is also a good thing. Need to clean the silicone off the old hole and get it ready for epoxy and glass.

Put plywood plate over the hole and drilled thru



Tools and piece that came out



Port inside with half moon in place. Came out pretty good



Starboard side



Starboard inside

Looks like you had some transom work to do anyway, so it looks like a decent solution. Like I said; you have above average skills

Well Dodge I bet you slept good last night...lol.. I really think that was the best solution to the problem. Cutting on the exhaust would just have been covering up a problem that would bite you in the ass down the road.

Chris