Motor up or down while trailering?

[TheLastCall]

Lol, nope. Manufacturers motor ratings are a function of the dimensions of the boat, stearing style, hull style (chine/no chine) and transom height. The transom could be made out of paper mache and it wouldn't matter a bit for the outboard size rating.

Guess you learn something new everyday. So I’ll rephrase, boat manufacturers SHOULD be making transom to hold motors that the boat is rated for.

Just out of curiosity does this mean it’s more based from weight distribution rather than hp. IE: tiller boats are rated lower because the weight ( operator, fuel, battery, motor) is all at the stern vs consoles the weight is shifted more forward. Same hull design.


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[gatorglenn]

Lol, nope. Manufacturers motor ratings are a function of the dimensions of the boat, stearing style, hull style (chine/no chine) and transom height. The transom could be made out of paper mache and it wouldn't matter a bit for the outboard size rating.

Guess you learn something new everyday. So I’ll rephrase, boat manufacturers SHOULD be making transom to hold motors that the boat is rated for.

Just out of curiosity does this mean it’s more based from weight distribution rather than hp. IE: tiller boats are rated lower because the weight ( operator, fuel, battery, motor) is all at the stern vs consoles the weight is shifted more forward. Same hull design.


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you are correct. Take my boat , it is rated for 75hp max, but 400lbs transom weight. So in the class of mercury motors. I could put a 115hp on my boat. Because the 75,90 and 115 are all the same motor at 390lbs. But the rating is 75 for price point. The USG formula saids my boat size is rated to a 135hp. But the transom isn’t built for that much weight.

I use a motor totter. Because of the height over of the pavement. But if mine had a tote system like Evinrude has. I wouldn’t use one.


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[BrentD]

I agree with momule. The point of a transom saver is to keep the motor from rocking forward and back while hitting bumps in order to avoid damage to the transom. The part about it not hitting the skeg is just a side benefit. The average transom replacement around here is $2500+ (on a fiberglass boat). I've never seen a motor damaged motor from vibration caused by using a transom saver, but I HAVE seen a transom damaged from the motor rocking while driving. This might be my first "real" boat, but I've been around them for quite a while, and my close friend owns a boat repair company.

 

[S&MFISH]

Down all the way, no trim whatsoever................................................................... I have a jet.

 

[earl60446]

I guess we definitely answered that question.

A TinBoater clearly must use a transom saver and have the motor up while towing

unless of course you prefer to have it down (locked or unlocked, who knows)

 

[bcbouy]

or you can just raise your bunks.

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

Or lower the hitch ball receiver.

 

[jethro]

Good to see my thread still has traction here! I have a new (used) boat and now have to tow while the motor is up, so it came with and I will use the transom saver. It's a big boy, a 150 Merc Saltwater. It's barely high enough even at full up trim. Motor is almost as tall as I am.

So in my opinion (and we all know what they say about them) the answer is "Up if you need the clearance, down if you don't".

 

[ppine]

Motor up, transom saver and the wheel bungied to the windshield stantion to keep the motor straight.

 

[thomasdgs]

The first year I had my boat and motor I learned a tough lesson at the expense of my 80's Merc's immaculate original paint. Towing a boat with the outboard down on a gravel road will wreck the paint on your motor's lower end. After 45 minute of gravel with the motor down (strapped tight to prevent bouncing) the paint on one side of my lower end is more chip than not.

My outboard is only a 25 hp, but i transport it on the boat (bolted on all season), so I now use a transom saver.

 

[LDUBS]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I use the transom saver to protect my outboard's PT&T, not to protect the transom. I was using a Cabelas transom saver that used a twist lock connection at the trailer.

Well, the worst nightmare happened. The end of the transom saver that connects to the trailer came loose and was dragging along on the pavement from the bungie around the lower unit. I was lucky that no damage was done other some some scratches in the OB paint. The connecting end of the transom saver was half gone from grinding along the pavement. I didn't care because I chucked it as soon as I got home. I have no idea how this happened.

So, I no longer use a transom saver. I now use one of the wedge style motor supports. The brand I use is M-Y Wedge. It is a lot easier to use than the transom saver.

 

[eshaw]

I don't see anything wrong with toting your motor on the transom without a transom saver if the motor is down and a light weight motor. I won't do it with it tilted up though. I imagine a light weight on the transom is fine but the bigger motors should be supported just because of the leverage they place on the transom in the tilted position. I agree that they are fine on the water but the road is a totally different animal when it comes to transferring shock loads versus water. The shock loads are totally different and a transom saver should be used. As far as the tilt/trim goes that unit is hydraulic and can absorb some jolts in compression.

 

[GYPSY400]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I use the transom saver to protect my outboard's PT&T, not to protect the transom. I was using a Cabelas transom saver that used a twist lock connection at the trailer.

Well, the worst nightmare happened. The end of the transom saver that connects to the trailer came loose and was dragging along on the pavement from the bungie around the lower unit. I was lucky that no damage was done other some some scratches in the OB paint. The connecting end of the transom saver was half gone from grinding along the pavement. I didn't care because I chucked it as soon as I got home. I have no idea how this happened.

So, I no longer use a transom saver. I now use one of the wedge style motor supports. The brand I use is M-Y Wedge. It is a lot easier to use than the transom saver.

So I take it you had nothing securing the transom saver other than the twist socket and the bungee around the motor?

I use a transom saver and also a rachet strap from the lower end to the trailer frame.

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[Superlucky]

My last boat, a Klamath 14 came with a manual that clearly stated no transom saver was to be used.
I just bought a new Gregor Alaskan and I emailed Gregor regarding this issue. They too said that I was not to use a transom saver and leave the motor down when towing.

Food for thought.

Best regards
Bill

 

[thedude]

Motor up, transom saver and the wheel bungied to the windshield stantion to keep the motor straight.

Same here. Mine is just as much a prop saver as the long shaft hangs down well past the trailer frame.

 

[bcbouy]

one of the benefits of the no feedback steering is it tends to stay in one position while the boat is being trailered.i drop the motor down onto the transom saver and it does not move at all as long as i compress the saver at least half way to the stop.

 

[LDUBS]

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I use the transom saver to protect my outboard's PT&T, not to protect the transom. I was using a Cabelas transom saver that used a twist lock connection at the trailer.

Well, the worst nightmare happened. The end of the transom saver that connects to the trailer came loose and was dragging along on the pavement from the bungie around the lower unit. I was lucky that no damage was done other some some scratches in the OB paint. The connecting end of the transom saver was half gone from grinding along the pavement. I didn't care because I chucked it as soon as I got home. I have no idea how this happened.

So, I no longer use a transom saver. I now use one of the wedge style motor supports. The brand I use is M-Y Wedge. It is a lot easier to use than the transom saver.

So I take it you had nothing securing the transom saver other than the twist socket and the bungee around the motor?

I use a transom saver and also a rachet strap from the lower end to the trailer frame.

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Yep, nothing other than the twist socket and some down pressure from the PT&T. Learned my lesson and feel I got away easy.

 

[LDUBS]

My last boat, a Klamath 14 came with a manual that clearly stated no transom saver was to be used.
I just bought a new Gregor Alaskan and I emailed Gregor regarding this issue. They too said that I was not to use a transom saver and leave the motor down when towing.

Food for thought.

Best regards
Bill

My previous boat was a 15' Klamath and my current one is a Gregor Sportsman. I used a transom saver on the Klamath because the outboard owner's manual (Merc) said to use it. Crazy.

Congrats on the Gregor Alaskan. Have you posted a pic yet? There is a place to do that under the "Boat House" forum.

 

[eshaw]

There seems to be a lot of conjecture on this subject and it's kind of interesting. Engine manufacturers state one thing and boat manufacturers state something else. Does it matter how the transom is made, be it wood, or wood sandwiched between sheets of aluminum, how thick each is, etc.. And what the engines, some use the tilt and trim, some don't, does that matter? How about when you add a motor jack to the mix, how much effect does that have on this issue? Lots to ponder here.

 

[LDUBS]

Keep it simple. If you have clearance, trailer with the outboard in the normal down position. If you don't have clearance, tilt the outboard up and use a transom saver (or one of the other gismos) to support it.

I think this whole debate would go away if they were called something other than "transom savers". IMO, it is really there to support the outboard when it is tilted up. Maybe they should be called "lower unit supports" or "Skeg Savers".