outboard safety question

G

Guest

Guest
Is there a safety mechanism that will allow an outboard (tiller) to pop up in the event that it hits a log or something? What is it called?
 
X

Xcusme

Commander
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Messages
2,888
Re: outboard safety question

Yes, motors have a safety built into the transom mount that locks the motor in a vertical position. This 'lock' prevents the motor from walking itself up and out of the water when you go into reverse too. In the event you strike a log, latches disengage from the transom tilt adjustment bar and allow the motor to tilt up and over the obstruction. The latches are held via spring tension to the bar. Motors can have a manual release knob to manually release the latch if desired.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: outboard safety question

Can the spring tension be adjusted? do you know what the safety part is called or what part actually does the disengaging?
 
X

Xcusme

Commander
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Messages
2,888
Re: outboard safety question

The springs I've seen are not adjustable and are sized to keep the latch engaged and hold the motor when in reverse but not hold so tightly to not let go under an impact. The manual release allows shallow water drive or locked in the normal run position.

I guess the next question is, What issues are you having? What motor etc.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: outboard safety question

no issues, just curious how it worked, thanks for the info!
 
tashasdaddy

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: outboard safety question

depending on your motor, some automatically lock when shift to reverse, and release in forward. what motor do you have.
 
F

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: outboard safety question

Except for the ones that automatically latch in reverse, if you trailer your boat and motor you can prove to yourself that they do indeed release. Hunker down and get behind the lower unit in a stable position. Then give a mighty yank on the lower unit. It will give a loud bang and come up. The bang will scare the bejabbers out of you and you will think you broke something. But never fear, it is just the bear trap springs doing their thing. Some service manuals specify the amount of pull required to release it. Big motors require more than little motors.

It is called a tilt latch mechanism.
 
F

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: outboard safety question

OK, you know the lever on the side that you swing up to tilt the motor and swing down to lower it and lock it down? That is what locks it down so it won't suck itself up out of the water when you put it in reverse.

It WILL release itself upon impact with an underwater object and re-latch when it goes back down. I have "tested" mine many times in our shallow waters. The loud bang still startles me though.
 
O

OptsyEagle

Lieutenant
Joined
Sep 13, 2006
Messages
1,356
Re: outboard safety question

I usually run my small motors, 9.9hp or lower with the tilt released all the time. My theory is that going forward the locking mechanism is not really needed and this set-up will help my lower unit in the event I hit something. The only concern is when I am in reverse and so I just make sure I don't try to open her up to any degree. Just a putt, putt, putt for reverse and I have no problems with my tilt unlocked.
 
jay_merrill

jay_merrill

Vice Admiral
Joined
Dec 5, 2007
Messages
5,653
Re: outboard safety question

I leave mine unlatched too - there is a lot of junk in the water here since Hurricane Katrina, and I prefer to give the motor an unrestricted ability to tilt up if I hit something.

I also like to be able to pop the motor up in reverse because we are having significant problems with a non-native, invasive plant called water-hyacinth. This stuff winds up in a prop/LU so badly that it can cause cavitation and cooling problems. If I have to pass through it, I like to be able to reverse and make the motor raise up a little bit because it helps throw it off of the prop.
 
F

F_R

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
28,195
Re: outboard safety question

We've had water hyacinth here in Florida for years. Story goes that some lady brought it in for her pond or something because it was pretty. It gets so thick that it makes nearly inpenetrable islands. Nice pretty blue flowers to look at while you are mired down though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top