Transom savers....a middle ground

[JMichael]

Riding a motorcycle without a helmet is way different than choosing between rather to run a transom saver or not.

Different in some ways but similar in others. They are both designed to prevent damage, so they are similar in that they are both safety equipment.

 

[turbotodd]

A few years back I was in the market for a 16-18 foot bass boat, powered by 90-150 hp. Couldn't afford new so I stuck in the used market. Amazed me how many cracked splash wells, cracking in the transom area (usually indicated by cracking on the gelcoat), cracks even over to the sides. Each and every one of them either used no transom saver, used the motors's built-in service lock (Yamaha has those, a little lever you flip down), or had some sort of wedge or block stuck between teh bracket and the motor. None of them used any sort of "transom saver".

The older 4 stroke stuff-and it's weight-combined with poor road quality are pure torture on a transom. The newer stuff is getting a lot lighter.

The lower unit is a heck of a lot tougher than the transom is. There are savers made with shock absorption already on the market. But what I don't understand is how they work with PT&T. The motor is still going to move a little, which puts pressure against the PT&T, which still puts a load on the transom. Maybe not as much? I'm no engineer obviously. Just thinking out loud here. I guess it woudn't be much of an issue if you have a manually tilted outboard.

I also remember very well many moons ago when dad had a boat repair shop. Most of what we were doing was I/O stuff. Many of the pond hoppers had a hook on the transom that would support the outdrive while being trailered. And I remember many of those hooks being pulled out, cracked, broken, etc. But those were a totally different setup than a transom saver....they were just a hook bolted through the hull, then sometimes a piece of chain or something that ran down to the top of the outdrive, so the weight of the outdrive would just "hang" on that hook once the hydraulic PT&T would leak down.

 

[richg99]

What little I know about physics says to me that...a body in motion tends to stay in motion, a body at rest tends to stay at rest. Assuming I have that correct...

Any device that can keep a heavy engine from bouncing, swinging and moving around has to be better than letting that same engine tear the transom up.

A device that has some shock absorption should be better than a stiff device, IMHO.

richg99

 

[Molokai]

What little I know about physics says to me that...a body in motion tends to stay in motion, a body at rest tends to stay at rest. Assuming I have that correct...

Any device that can keep a heavy engine from bouncing, swinging and moving around has to be better than letting that same engine tear the transom up.

A device that has some shock absorption should be better than a stiff device, IMHO.

richg99

That has to be the most concise explanation i've heard yet...and i totally agree.

 

[LDUBS]

I wouldn't want it to be "springy" but it makes sense to me to have some kind of dampening on the transom saver. Going back to something Turbotodd alluded to earlier in this thread, does the group think a rigid (no shock absorption) transom saver would be better for a motor with power trim/tilt?

 

[ADIBOO]

I would think that everything should be as solid as possible, maybe a little absorption. I would think if the boat is strapped to the trailer, and the lower unit is also connected to the trailer via a transom saver, everything should be moving as one piece, which is the wanted result.

 

[Wyatt]

Wouldnt the rubber pad(s) on the end of the transom saver provide enough shock absorption when the other end is solidly attached to the trailer?

 

[richg99]

" enough shock absorption"

Guess no one would know the answer to that question accurately. It would depend on the engine; its length; its weight; the construction of the transom; the height and roughness of the bump(s) in the road, and probably many other factors.

I sure don't ....richg99

 

[jackieblue]

I've had a transom saver on this boat since new, a 2005 22' Xpress tunnel hull Center console. The 115 Yamaha has over 1300 hours on it and it has been used in some less than desirable conditions. You have to weld em up, one of the maintenance problems of a tin boat. This may be a few more hours than the average fisherman put on a boat.

 

[Rat]

The idea of a transom saver is that all the mass moves as one unit. The motor puts a strain on the transom because of leverage by the motor.

The transom saver reduces the leverage by attaching it to the trailer, no leverage, no flex at the transom. This is why wedges don't work; the motor still has leverage on the transom.

Your design takes that static moment out of the design of the transom saver; by allowing the motor to flex it will add stress to the transom. A static arm is the only option to remove the stress caused by the motor as it moves.

You design will work IF you also open the bypass valve on the trim/tilt unit. This would allow the motor to freely move independently of the transom, but the spring will act as a dampener to keep the motor in check. Otherwise, I believe it is a step backwards from the current, static, designs.

 

[richg99]

Interesting observation. And here I thought I was bettering the standard transom saver. Hmmmmmm

richg99

 

[Buckethead]

Seems to me that if the boat is lashed tight to the trailer, the outboard of course, is mounted tight to the transom and the transom saver is mounted from the trailer to the lower unit properly the whole thing should move as one unit. I'd think that a setup that didn't offset the weight of the outboard to where it was pushing down on the transom as opposed to hanging off would be more damaging. If everything is tight the trailer springs should absorb most of the shock.

 

[richg99]

I'd think that a setup that didn't offset the weight of the outboard to where it was pushing down on the transom as opposed to hanging off would be more damaging

I believe that the discussion was more about my adding a spring inside of the otherwise solid transom support.

I fully agree with you that a motor just hanging off the end of the transom, and bouncing around on every railroad track, would not be good.

I;ve been using the spring-inside system for a month or so. That is maybe 6 or 8 trips of 50 miles or more one way.

richg99

 

[Fishfreek]

Years ago my Gambler bass boat came with a shock absorer type transom saver and I have been using one type or another ever since.

 

[Skunked again]

Any update to adding a spring?
I have a g3 boat. Called both g3 and a local dealer. They both said the same thing, the objective is to keep the engine from moving. How you go about it, is up to you.

 

[richg99]

I am still running mine with the spring compressed very tightly.

There is almost no movement, yet, somehow, I feel that the slight bounce control is best. I have no way of scientifically verifying anything. Just my gut feel.

It sure isn't bouncing all over as it did before, with no transom saver.

richg99

 

[thill]

Seems to me that if the boat is lashed tight to the trailer, the outboard of course, is mounted tight to the transom and the transom saver is mounted from the trailer to the lower unit properly the whole thing should move as one unit. I'd think that a setup that didn't offset the weight of the outboard to where it was pushing down on the transom as opposed to hanging off would be more damaging. If everything is tight the trailer springs should absorb most of the shock.

^^^ What he said. If you strap down tightly, the whole thing should become one unit with the trailer, and not allow any stress to the transom, up or down.

Having the spring in there would still allow the motor to bounce up and down some. (probably more up) Perhaps not ideal, but I'm sure its way better than nothing! I personally, don't use anything, and my motor is fine.

 

[VinTin]

Movement of the motor is leveraged force on the transom. Rigid mount is easiest on the transom.

 

[Molokai]

Movement of the motor is leveraged force on the transom. Rigid mount is easiest on the transom.

Not necessarily. When jolts come from the ground up they are mitigated by what is essentially a dampener. It is the best of both worlds. Most all movement from the engine swaying is eliminated and jolts from the ground up dampened.

 

[Buckethead]

I'm thinking thill, vintin and myself are the only ones getting our heads around this.