Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

[marquette]

Re: Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

arks
did you put the center console in yourself? thats a good looking boat.
i've used transom savers on my 40hp johnson and 30hp honda because both of them are heavy motors for the 16ft boats they are on. but if i had the ground clearance and a smaller motor (100lbs or less)i wouldn't have used them. at 120lbs with your 25hp i think you are in a grey area. but if you aren't comfortable with the ground clearance in the down position a transom saver vs using the tilt lock is the way to go just for the clearance and keeping the weight off the tilt lock mechanism. i think preventing the motor from bouncing is the big key. you can set 120 lbs on your foot and it hurts. drop 120lbs on your foot and you have a broken foot. a bouncing 120lb motor is basically the same on the transom. it can hold the weight but it can't take beating it with it.
that's my 2 cents worth.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

I wouldn't tow with the motor up resting on the lock, but would consider making a wood block or something that would allow me to lower the motor further while still retaining enough ground clearance. Then simply strap the motor in place with a ratchet strap. It will prevent bounce damage and take a lot of stress off both the motor bracket and transom.

Something I have always wished they made was a spring cushioned transom saver. Something that would hold the motor but not fix it solid to the trailer.
Things flex when in tow, including things like the trailer rollers, the hull to some degree, and the trailer frame itself, this all needs to be taken into account when securing a motor with a bar to the frame.

Something I have done on my larger boats is to use the transom saver but secure it at the motor with a thick piece of rubber in between the bracket and the lower unit. I also don't tow with the motor fully tilted or locked in the up position.

On really long trips, if damage is a real concern on smaller motors, I normally just remove the motor. That's not a real option for remote controlled motors though.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

... Something I have done on my larger boats is to use the transom saver but secure it at the motor with a thick piece of rubber in between the bracket and the lower unit...

The transom saver we bought at our dealer came with just such a large rubber cushion, and I wonder if most of them now come that way.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

The last transom saver I had here had only a rubber dipped motor end and a strap. It was holding a 50hp up and had just about sheared the lower bolt that held it to the frame.

I've also been seeing a lot of transom savers that are permanently mounted to the frame, I have no idea what you do with it when you launch the boat, I guess it just drags the ramp? The one I do use has a removable pin. I just toss it in the truck while readying for launch at the ramp.

I was looking today at my set up, there's really not a lot of weight on the Transom saver but I can only imagine the up force created and the return hit on a severe bump.

 

[199675hpforce]

Re: Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

I dont think so not on my boats, my mercury 80hp engine seemed fine and so does my 75 force by mercury. My thought is the transom saver could do more damage than good, hit a hard pot hole the flex in trailer sends all that shock to the lower part motor pushing up. I just pwr tilt my motor up crank the steering shaft into itself steering all the way to left. It came with red saftey thingy but i never us it. Seems fine its light maybe the newer savers are better.

 

[shipoffools]

Re: Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

Follow someone towing an outboard that is just supported by the tilt lock one time and you will realize how important it is to secure the motor. a tilted motor will move alot just from the little bumps in the road. I use a transom saver on my current boat (18' Starcraft alum. bowrider w/70 hp Merc) but I have used the wood block with a tie down method on other boats I've owned.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

Yea, what ShipOfFools said. We were at a stop light yesterday and watched a vehicle towing an aluminum fishing boat with a small motor on it cross the intersection. I couldn't believe how much the motor, tilted all the way down, was bouncing around on the transom.

 

[nomoe99]

Re: Is a Transom Saver REALLY needed?

I have a 25 Merc. on a 16ft. Jon Boat.
The rubber "V" that holds the bottom of the motor allows the motor to twist to one side or the other whild going down the road. I have the bar under the choke area pulled across and the lock nut tightened, but it still want to twist.

Question: What is the best angle or inches the skeg needs to be above the ground?

This motor is about 45 degree angle.
stoneyjoe