transom saver/engine support ....to use or not to use

[H20Rat]

Re: transom saver/engine support ....to use or not to use

I think about it this way ... if my motor is tilted up and I hang a 200lb weight from the propeller, where is that force going to go? Now, if I have a support between the lower unit and the trailer, where is most of that force going to go?

(Note, 200lbs is an arbitrary figure -- the actual force exerted on the transom depends on the weight of the motor, length of the leg, speed of the vehicle and roughness of the road etc.)

Yep, depends on the weight of the motor, as well as the other factors. All those added together are a FRACTION of the load your transom sees in rough water at WOT. So the going SWAG for hp to thrust is that one hp will produce about 75 pounds of thrust. If you check out the vector of it, this is basically perpendicular to your transom, where as road forces are not. (ie, motor thrust can twist your transom quite a bit easier...)

Anyway, so 1 hp = 75 pounds. Now assuming best case scenario, nailing the throttle from a dead start with a 150hp outboard is going to put out excess of 10,000 pounds of thrust for a short time at least. Even if it is 1/4 of that at 2500 pounds, it still makes the weight of the lower unit bouncing down the road seem pretty inconsequential. Now throw in the bumps and jolts from going over waves, and possibly getting a little air...

 

[robert graham]

Re: transom saver/engine support ....to use or not to use

My 90HP Yamaha is only 268lbs., but I'm still gonna use my Transom Saver!....Because I love it!....sorta like a security blanket...just makes me more happy!

 

[wolf81tx]

Re: transom saver/engine support ....to use or not to use

I say go with a transom saver. If I can I'll post a pic when I get time of a 1988 ProCraft with a 150 Evinrude that I just picked up for $500. It has cracks from bouncing up and down to much. Damage isn't to bad but it still could have been prevented. I live less than 1/4 mile from the boat ramp and I still use one because of the rough road between my house and there. If nothing else it will save your trim tilt witch can be a bit pricing to replace or just a pain in the butt to rebuild. If your like most people who have to travel 15-30 miles to a boat ramp there are worth it. If you have further to go..... Just keep in mind the your motor is now lower. A friend of mine has a really steep driveway and has to raise his motor all the way up to keep from scraping.