motor off while trailering

[rfarrands]

I was told by the guy I bought my boat (14' Sears Gamefisher) from not to trailer the boat with the 5hp Mercury on it. I never owned a boat before, and I sheepishly asked him why, and he said, "It's not that kind of set-up."
After making a few trips down to my local ramp and carrying the motor from the bed of my truck to the boat etc., I'm beginning to wonder if I really can't trailer the boat with the motor installed.
The boat is a light gauge aluminum, single riveted transom, which seems to be in good shape. The boat is rated for a 20hp (I'm assuming that the rating is based on the weight of a 2-stroke) which I bet no one would be installing on a daily basis. So then it would have to be because of the motor, which is a 2008 5hp 4stroke Mercury. Is the mounting bracket on the motor not strong enough or something?
BTW- I live less than 2 miles from my local ramp, over well-paved roads. I could see taking off the motor to go to faraway lakes if I had to, but I'd still rather not.

So guys, will I harm anything by trailering my boat with the motor installed? And if not, in what position do I put the motor? Fully forward, or straight up/down? There is no clearance issue.

 

[dyeguy1212]

With the motor installed, push really hard on the lower unit of the motor. If the transom flexes, I wouldn't suggest trailering it without a transom saver. Otherwise, you should be fine.

 

[bassboy1]

If the boat is too weak to trailer with the motor on, I wouldn't trust being on the lake with it. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[rfarrands]

So, if the transom is strong enough, there's nothing to worry about w/ the motor?

 

[crazymanme2]

Correct

 

[wasilvers]

When I trailer, I put raise the motor up so it is just about balanced on the transom. If you have a lot of weight pulling on on side, there is the possibility of cracking the aluminum. It's a remote possibility, but still there.

But if it doesn't flex when you lean on it, it should be good.

 

[Loggerhead Mike]

if you've got a thin aluminum rig dont do it. plain ole not enough ass in the transom to continually take the stress of the motor weight when you hit bumps and holes

I used to trailer w/ motor untill i almost tore the transom off. more than likely just from use and trailering on pot hole'd gravel roads

 

[Nevillizer]

I gonna say you would be fine trailering it with the motor on it. If its rated for a 20 and you have 5 you should be fine unless you transom is really weak. Although I would suggest a transom saver or motor wedge.

 

[BottomDweller]

Hey guys...I have a pretty thin alum boat, but it seems solid and does not leak a drop. I am currently replacing the transom b/c it was rotten. I am fairly new to boating and did not do the whole transom flex check by putting weight on it when I bought it but there is a possibility that my transom could have flexed some. Will my replacing of the transom board take care of any issues of flex that you are speaking about or is the concern more so in the underlying aluminum on the transom of the boat?

 

[UtahBassKicker]

To add my input on the trailering with the motor on or off, I'd just suggest checking the length of your support bunks. if they reach all the way to the transom or even a little beyond, I would think trailering with the motor on would be fine. If your bunks are short and don't even come close to supporting the end of your boat, I would be cautious when trailering with much weight on the transom. Like suggested before, get a transom saver and that should remedy the situation. Good luck.

 

[crazymanme2]

The biggest issue with transom strength is the corner brackets.My corner brackets had to be replaced because they had seen too many years of rough use.I also used a peice of stainless for my cap on the transom.Those 2 combined makes a very strong transom.Make sure your transom cap ties into your corner brackets.

 

[BottomDweller]

crazymanme2,

Is this the transom cap seen in the picture?

Where can you get the stainless for this..Lowes?

 

[sturdi87]

I really can't imagine it being an issue, especially for your most frequent 2 mile trips. And it sounds like its becoming a pain, which I imagine it would be even though its probably not heavy at all.

I don't know if anyone said this yet but you want to trailer with your motor tilted all the way up. Even if down you have plenty of clearance from the ground the motor is not designed to be trailered that way, I'm assuming you don't have power tilt/trim, in which case it doesn't really matter.

I could be wrong on your particular motor, though. If you have the type of motor with trim adjustment holes on the motor mount. With this type there is a rod that you can move to different adjustments. There are clips which clip onto this rod when you tilt your motor down. These clips are not designed for trailering and will likely fail eventually.

Also you will probably want to flop it over to one side or the other if your not using a transom saver, because it will eventually anyways! But to reiterate what everyone has said, get a transom saver. I got mine at a local supermarket for around $20, or you could easily make one out of a 2x4 and a couple straps or something. You would not be the first one to do it! I actually saw a guy towing a nice big center console on the interstate today with a merc 250 on it with a transom saver made out of 2x4.

 

[crazymanme2]

BottomDweller, my transom cap is made up of numerous pieces of stainless that I had bent up to fit my transom.Than I cut & fit the pieces, than welded them together.

 

[Captain Ahab]

If the boat is too weak to trailer with the motor on, I wouldn't trust being on the lake with it. Just my 2 cents worth.

Exactly!