Tow with the motor up or down?

[bleepyou]

I would like to tow my boat with the motor down as I feel it creates less strain on the transom. How much ground clearance would be concidered safe?

 

[JB]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

I would be anxious with even 10" clearance, Ken. Towing in and out of gas stations can put even a tilted up skeg close to the tarmac.<br /><br />Red sky at night. . .<br />JB

 

[Ranger354]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

Ken,<br /><br />Find yourself a good transom saver that attaches to the back of your trailer and fits up under your engine skeg. I would never tow with my engine down unless my boat and trailer are designed to. Lower unit replacement can get expensive.<br />Check out: www.cabelas.com and search on transom saver.

 

[Ross J]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

Hello Kenaustin,<br />I use the last two rungs of an aluminium ladder to hold my motor tilted whilst towing. The hydraulic tilt lowered onto the rung of the ladder with just enough weight to prevent it swinging down has done the trick for 5 years now with no harm at all. I know it's a cheepie but it works.<br />Ross

 

[bleepyou]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

Thank you for the feedback. I am new to trailering and this is a perfect place to find this stuff out. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. Like the gas station thing. Didn't even think of that. <br />Thanks to all, Ken

 

[Forktail]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

If you have a blowout while towing with the motors down, you can kiss the lowers good-bye.

 

[FNG]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

Next time you head over to your boat ramp check out the ramp and the road in and out of the parking lot and surounding area. If you see deep grooves in the road....thats what happends when people tow with their motors down.<br />Never forget to put it up when pulling it out of the water too. Thats what all those people hanging out at the ramp are waiting to see. hehehehe.

 

[letsbarbq]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

fng, u are right, sometimes i think those people just go there and park just to wait and see which one of us will be the lucky boater to do soething completely stupid to make us famous.<br /><br />i always thought they came cause they wanted to enjoy the view and smell the 2 cycle smoke. ahhh...... nothing like that smoke to bring back sunny fishin day memories.

 

[skier]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

kenaustin:<br /><br />Everyone is correct, It's a bad idea to tow with the engine down.<br /><br />There is one more reason, With the motor (Outboard) down while towing, every bump makes the engine bounce even just a little. With the outboard hanging off the back every bounce is pulling on the transom cause all the weight is behind the boat. With the motor tilted up must of the weight is over the transom so every bump in the road, any stress is put down through the transom, the entire height of the transom can distribute it much better then just the thickness at the motor bracket. <br /><br />"Transom Savers" take that energy from the bumps in the road and distribute it to the trailer frame. The model that I have has 4 rubber grommets that absorb even more before it gets to the trailer.<br /><br />HAppy Boating/Skiing/Fishing<br /><br />Craig

 

[dingbat]

Re: Tow with the motor up or down?

I'd tow with your drive up, but I've never bought this idea about a motor causing weight problems on a transom. If the transom can't take the bounce riding down a road, how is it going to handle the pounding it takes out on the water? Tilt you motor up all the way and use the ladder rung idea to keep it in position.