[oldbluesplayer]

First - Welcome - there is an incredible bunch of guys here, and a real wealth of knowledge -

I read your post, and have probably a half dozen questions-

I get that you want to put a bracket on the back of your boat ? and what motor (s) are you hanging on the bracket - what I'm after there is the weight going on the bracket

- so the wood was "wet- but not rotten" what kind of wet? any freshwater wetness Will lead to dry-rot - salt water wetness is kinder that way, but soggy plywood cores have all the strength of wet cardboard (I know from personal experience)- so how wet is wet - if you drill a small hole or two, down low in the transom, and water comes out, and continues to drain for awhile, you're soaked - How did the previous owner use / store the boat - on a trailer, under cover, in the water - how much did he trailer it, how much will you trailer it, over the road ?

a bracket mount, especially with a heavy 4-stroke, or twins, will put much greater stress on the transom, than a single motor directly mounted on the transom - think lever - the longer the lever, the worse the stress - but at the same time, a large flotation style bracket, like the Seamark, spreads that load out over a wider area, than say an Armstrong style single motor bracket - spreading the load is a good thing.

If multiple core holes confirm wet, but not rotten, then the transom could be dried with a pattern of holes, and some time, and then core soaked /filled with an extremely low viscosity epoxy - but if your going bracket, and thinking twins, or big heavy 4-stroke - I'd want a new transom, if it were me.... I know you said you just got out of college, and probably didn't want to hear this right now - it's beginning to sound expensive... but know that the seacraft 23 is one of the best riding hulls out there, so maybe you skip the transom close, dry and core soak the transom with epoxy, keep the motor on the transom, for now, and keep running it for a few more years, till you get a better feel for where you want to go with it ?

just some questions and thoughts.

good luck - and get some pix up for us !!

Bill