A quick survey who trailers their boat with the motor in gear?

[Bailey Boat]

Distracted by watching the vehicle in front you ?????

geeze... by watching the prop.... ya know, focus averted.... nevermind......

 

[LDUBS]

geeze... by watching the prop.... ya know, focus averted.... nevermind......

Admonishment was noted. I'm betting most of us can see if a prop is spinning without losing focus on safe driving. Not like passing a topless woman in a convertible.

Followed a boat yesterday. Prop wasn't moving but it was an inboard.

 

[airshot]

Over the weekend took a ride out to see the big lake. Just for fun followed a few boats to see if props were moving. Most were not, but no way of knowing if they were in gear or not. A few made some slight movements but none were spinning. Those with small movements I assume were not in gear. Followed one guy down the eway at 70 plus mph, prop moved about a half turn, very slowly, usually when a bump or dip in the highway !! Of all the OB and I/O motors, none had spinning props.

 

[Azdesert]

I've always did the in gear approach. I will say that the heat that the lower unit can receive while on the trailer depends a LOT on where your at, the days temp and the pavement your on. This summer in Phoenix we saw 53 days over 110, that black asphalt gets smoking hot! I have never measured it but it would not surprise me at all if its north of 145 on those days. I got caught out on my bike with my wife on the back on a day like that some time ago, it was so hot she burned her legs from the knee down.

 

[Still Afloat]

I thought of this thread the other day. Was trolled along on the MK and working a fish around the transom. Noticed that the prop on the outboard was slowly spinning. Then it was time to make a judgement call, land the fish or put the outboard in gear?

 

[LDUBS]

I thought of this thread the other day. Was trolled along on the MK and working a fish around the transom. Noticed that the prop on the outboard was slowly spinning. Then it was time to make a judgement call, land the fish or put the outboard in gear?

No brainer -- land the fish! Lol.

 

[Still Afloat]

Yes, Sir. My thought as well. Plus if the prop was not spinning it might discharge the batteries faster due to increased drag.

 

[sonny1]

I love reading this thread. It is such an important issue that am surprised it has not been mentioned before. One of my top concerns while running down the road trailering my boat. Now I can forget about the semi tailgating me, The guy in the SUV with a load of kids scramming around distracting the driver, The teenage girl with her head down typing on something as the stop sign gets closer,The guy behind me tailgating as he throws a empty beer can out the window, The pickup in front of me with a load of old roofing shingles flying out of the bed of the truck and so on. If my prop ain't spinning am good.

 

[LDUBS]

Should have laid the rod down and taken a pic of the prop to post here.

 

[mirrocraft16]

Somewhere over the years one of my outboards had a warning about towing in neutral at 'extended highway speeds'.
I rarely two over 40 mph and I've watched my prop and it either doesn't turn at all or barely spins. The trailer blocks any direct wind to the prop.
My one thought is that if the prop is in gear, and if it were to hit any road debris or get grounded, being in neutral may save the gears.
I've simply never worried much about it. All of my motors are over 25 years old and I've never had any issues.
I worry more about the stress on the transom if towing with the motor tilted on rough game preserve or marina roads that are poorly graded. A few of the ramps I use are miles back into the woods with only a dirt trail leading back to them. After all the traffic they see its rare to catch one that's been properly graded and not turned into a wash board surface or one with deep washouts.

 

[airshot]

Been towing outboards since 1965, always in neutral, never read anything about it in the owners manual, but common sense told me not to leave it in gear !! After all these years, I have never had a lower unit issue of any type, not even a leak !! I have had over 30 different motors from various mfgrs and not one lower unit issue. Guess I will stick with what works !!!