Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

[robertjp]

Recently I got a new boat (1 yr old Alumacraft) with a Yamaha 115 HP 4 stroke outboard on it. The dealer sent me off with the motor up using the power tilt and a locking lever (He lowered it a bit on it lastly). SO I drove it home about 7 hours without any issues that I am aware of. The Yamaha manual says different though as it says not to trailer with the motor up and recommends some type of external transom saver. What do guys here do with similar size outboards use a transom saver bar or just tilt it up? Thanks in advance.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Transom saver. The lever the dealer used is not meant for trailering.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

I use a detachable trailering bracket made specifically for my motor. It's inserted into the trim holes in the transom bracket, and the motor is lowered onto it. If I didn't have this gizmo I would use a transom saver, a.k.a. motor defloperizer.

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Even with the I/Os I had a transom saver was used. If you can weld they are easy to make.

 

[robertjp]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Why would this dealer not tell me this and just send me on my way 7 hours and he knew it? Do most all guys with a similar setup use the transom saver?

 

[Pony]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

I have a Lowe with a 115hp Optimax, and if I didn't have a transom saver, I doubt that I would be able to get out of driveway without scraping the drive......

Just about everything aluminum fishing boat that I have seen with a bigger outboard has a transom saver. Not sure why the dealer would send you off.....not good customer service to be sure. I didn't buy from my local dealer, but I know that their "road package" that comes with each boat (they add this to the sticker price) includes a transom saver.

 

[robertjp]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Here is a pretty good article basically saying many manufactures do not recommend them while others do. Very surprising Who Needs A Transom Savers - BoatUS Trailering Magazine | BoatUS

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

I vote against transom "savers" for several reasons. First off, most boats and engines will take a hell of a lot harder beating running through decent sized chop or other boats wakes than they will going down the road on a trailer. Also, when an outboard is tilted up it's darned near balanced so there's not going to be a lot of force on the tilt/trailer lock. And my biggest gripe about transom "savers" was discussed in that linked article:

"The most prevalent argument against them centers on the fact that a transom saver transfers the weight and energy from an area that is designed to handle it (the transom) to an area that is not (the trailer). Additionally, while the boat and motor move together, the boat and trailer move independently from each other, causing road vibrations to be transferred back to the outdrive where they can potentially cause even more damage."

Expanding on that paragraph a bit, because of the fact that the boat and trailer "wiggle" independently of each other, it's not just "vibrations" that are transferred to the outboard (and transom) through a transom "saver", but also forces imparted on it from the weight of the rear part of the boat bouncing up and down ever so slightly. IMO those forces are going to be a lot greater than those imparted by the engine itself if the transom "saver" weren't used.

If a fellow engineer has ever looked at this in depth or measured the forces involved using load cells I'd be interested to hear about it. Until then I'm going with my best estimate and saying in my opinion I wouldn't use one.

 

[robertjp]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Here is one that is designed for power tilt/trim that is spring loaded to reduce road shock. Maybe the one to get for me ( I guess)

Swivl-Eze By Attwood Shock Absorbing Adjustable Transom Savers, Transom Savers & Motor Supports, JMSOnline.net Marine Supply and Boating Store

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Transom saver. The lever the dealer used is not meant for trailering.

the lever is fine (as you learned) and a transom "saver" isn't necessary.

And there you have your answer in one post. All you need is a quarter to flip and you will know which way to go.

FTR I agree with Metric's assessment. If your transom needed saving you have bigger problems. For liability reasons the owner's manual says otherwise; it also says not to use your motor in muddy water.

If you don't trust the latch, secure a block of wood up under there and keep the weight on the transom. But note that if the latch were to suddenly melt, the PTT will hold the motor up, if you just let the motor down on the latch and stop (don't run the ptt all the way down like you do for mooring/storage).

There has never been a first-hand report of a trailer latch failing; I keep asking....

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

All my outboards have used them, and I will continue using them. I had no idea there was even a discussion about not using them. My thought was, no need to bounce anything more than it's needed. My saver has rubber as a insulator and it helps when going down bad roads, and here in Michigan our roads are about as bad as they could get. I feel better knowing my rig is snugged up and not bouncing around, transom flex is reduced and that can only be good. To each his own I guess.

 

[V153]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

the lever is fine (as you learned) and a transom "saver" isn't necessary

I agree. Why else put the 'lever' there?

When the motor is tilted all the way up, it is more or less balanced, meaning the majority of the mass is focused down on the transom. Not violently wrenching it fore & aft as transom saver mfgs would have you believe.

If'n yer motor/transom break off the boat whilst trailering? Ya got bigger problems than not using a 'transom saver' ...

 

[kvieyra]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

I use the latch with the motor fully up. Yeah I'm not worried about my transom.

But, if I want to add additional support I use the tube that slides over the trim piston. A piece of scrap ABS pipe with a piece of my kids pool noodle to fill the inside. The hole in the noodle fits the trim piston perfectly. or you can pay $$$. But no trailer banging into my motor.

 

[BaileysBoat]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Call it a skeg saver

 

[82rude]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

metric,in my etec operators manual page 49 it states if trailering do so with the motor in a vertical position.it goes on to say if theres not enough clearance to tilt and use a trailering bracket.(transom saver).there are 2 notices also about possible damage to the outboard or transom if the motor isn't restrained and allowed to bounce.ditto for using the tilt lock leaver.im sure brp enginers had a hand in the suggestion.now saying all that I do it which ever way strikes my fancy at the time. not to start a fight or anything but id like to point out that lots of people on this site swear that the only manual to use is oem by jiminy or else your doomed to be a lacky for life yet ignore the oem recommendations such as this one as it suits their fancy.

 

[robertjp]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Since there is no concensus here, I will do what my manual recommends (not using the lever when trailering) and what I have done with my other motors (use the transom saver). Thanks for the input. ( I will get the one with the rubber shock absorber to compromise)

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

I vote against transom "savers" for several reasons. First off, most boats and engines will take a hell of a lot harder beating running through decent sized chop or other boats wakes than they will going down the road on a trailer. Also, when an outboard is tilted up it's darned near balanced so there's not going to be a lot of force on the tilt/trailer lock. And my biggest gripe about transom "savers" was discussed in that linked article:

"The most prevalent argument against them centers on the fact that a transom saver transfers the weight and energy from an area that is designed to handle it (the transom) to an area that is not (the trailer). Additionally, while the boat and motor move together, the boat and trailer move independently from each other, causing road vibrations to be transferred back to the outdrive where they can potentially cause even more damage."

Expanding on that paragraph a bit, because of the fact that the boat and trailer "wiggle" independently of each other, it's not just "vibrations" that are transferred to the outboard (and transom) through a transom "saver", but also forces imparted on it from the weight of the rear part of the boat bouncing up and down ever so slightly. IMO those forces are going to be a lot greater than those imparted by the engine itself if the transom "saver" weren't used.

If a fellow engineer has ever looked at this in depth or measured the forces involved using load cells I'd be interested to hear about it. Until then I'm going with my best estimate and saying in my opinion I wouldn't use one.

Fellow engineer agrees with you. Took the one off that came with my boat and threw it away. Only caveat is that you can see the engine from the driver's seat so that if your trim fails you can catch the problem before it becomes a problem.

Mark

 

[Pony]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

These threads always turn into a bag of mixed opinions. None completely wrong/ None completely right.

I do wish they had a name other than "transom saver" because I think that leads to a lot of the debate. I don't use one to "save" my transom. I use it to keep the motor from hitting the ground.....and in case the power trim fails there is something holding the motor up.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Fellow engineer agrees with you. Took the one off that came with my boat and threw it away. Only caveat is that you can see the engine from the driver's seat so that if your trim fails you can catch the problem before it becomes a problem.

Mark

+1...

FWIW: my boat has built in a "trailering" bracket and my manufacturer recommends against the use of a transom saver stating that a TS unnecessarily transfers road shock to the lower unit.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Trailering a Yamaha 115 HP question power tilt up or not???

Why would this dealer not tell me this and just send me on my way 7 hours and he knew it? Do most all guys with a similar setup use the transom saver?

Because once they got your money all they care about is getting you out the door. A 7 hour drive is even more incentive because they know you won't come back. Add all that to the fact that many dealers today don't know crap about what they are talking.

Bottom line - follow the owner's manual. The manufacturer has a bigger stake in the product you just bought from them.