What to do with my motor when towing?

[jitterbug127]

I have a 1969 Evinrude 25 hp motor and a 6 hp Johnson motor that I've picked up over the winter. I had a horrible towing experience in 2017 and actually lost a brand new motor off the back of my boat. I don't want to repeat that mistake again. My question for the group is what do you guys do with your motors when trailering? I've looked at transom savers which seem to have mixed feed back at best. I've honestly considered a block of wood and bungie cords on the motor.

The 6 HP I can take off and put on hauling inside the boat or in the back of my car pretty easily. The 25 HP is a little more work to do this at 80+ lbs.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Bolt it on, don't rely on the clamps,....

 

[jitterbug127]

I've planned to do that. I'm wondering about what to do with the motor like tilted vs down. Transom saver vs 2 x4 and bungie straps.

 

[Bondo]

I've planned to do that. I'm wondering about what to do with the motor like tilted vs down. Transom saver vs 2 x4 and bungie straps.

Ayuh,.... To many variables,... If the motor will drag on the ground if left down, of course, that's not an option,....

If ya tow with it tilted, Yes, it's gotta be secured in that position, with whatever works in yer situation,.....

 

[briangcc]

On the MFG in my signature, we used a small block of wood and some string/rope to keep it in place when towing. This motor was clamped to the transom. My dad, the overcautious person that he is, also had a small length of chain that ran around the transom brace up to the motor clamps.

On the Bayliner in my signature, I used the trailering stop. This motor was bolted to the transom.

My uncle uses a transom saver on his Sylvan / 70HP Yammie. My cousin I don't believe uses anything on his Sylvan / Rude...just tilt up to trailering position.

 

[Scott Danforth]

agreed, leave down unless it will drag. If you must tilt up, then use a motor deflopinizer as needed.

 

[airshot]

Any clamp on motor needs a safety chain !!! Even my little 2.2 hp kicker has one, but bolt thru motors dont need them. Only time I saw a motor lost on the highway was from a rotten transom that gave way...however I am sure there are cases where the clamps were not tightened. Safety, safety, safety, we all need to do more. Don't let one bad experience get you down, sometimes we not one to learn !!!

 

[JimS123]

A transom saver goes without saying. No one should be without one.

I have never trailed a boat with a motor that was not bolted on the transom. If the bracket has no bolt holes, it will require some careful engineering with u-bolts or the like.

 

[airshot]

A transom saver goes without saying. No one should be without one.

I have never trailed a boat with a motor that was not bolted on the transom. If the bracket has no bolt holes, it will require some careful engineering with u-bolts or the like.

I have used transom savors for many years, but stopped when I bought this rig and a motor that has power trim. There is absolutely no play, no slop, no movement in the motor no matter how hard you try. There is nothing to bounce or flop. The power trim holds no matter what position the motor is in. In years past I had mechanical trims that the operator adjusted with a pin. The motor was free to flop up and down when the motor bounced along the highway, not so with power trim. I am not recomending this for other boat owners, it is my choice, but with power trim in good condition, I don't believe an addituonal transom saver is needed. Time will tell I guess...

 

[JimS123]

I have used transom savors for many years, but stopped when I bought this rig and a motor that has power trim. There is absolutely no play, no slop, no movement in the motor no matter how hard you try. There is nothing to bounce or flop. The power trim holds no matter what position the motor is in. In years past I had mechanical trims that the operator adjusted with a pin. The motor was free to flop up and down when the motor bounced along the highway, not so with power trim. I am not recomending this for other boat owners, it is my choice, but with power trim in good condition, I don't believe an addituonal transom saver is needed. Time will tell I guess...

When I bought my first I/O in 1984 the dealer gave me a full box of goodies for free. Like lines, fenders, tie downs including a bow tie down, and....red plastic ram brackets (a transom saver of sorts). The Mercruiser Owner's Manual recommended them - it was a Merc accessory part.

Our current two boats are both equipped with Mercury 4-stroke outboards with a single ram centered on the bracket. For this installation they make a rubber support bracket similar to the I/O kit. It costs only a couplabucks and takes only seconds to install.

I probably wasted my time and money all these years because I never had a power trim fail, but its an absolute certainty that I'll never have to say whoops.

 

[airshot]

I used those plastic supports for a short while, until my son hit the trim down with them in place...lasted about 5 seconds.

 

[ScottinAZ]

With my outboard boats, I used a transom saver to ensure the engine stayed above pavement level. With my current I/O setup I have the trailering pieces that go over the trim rams to do the same thing. I dont trust the trim to not leak down and keep the very expensive outdrive off of terra firma. Transom Savers and trim blocks are cheap. Engines and outdrives are not.

 

[JimS123]

I used those plastic supports for a short while, until my son hit the trim down with them in place...lasted about 5 seconds.

Forget to raise the outdrive when pulling the boat up the launch ramp can shear off a skeg.
Forgetting to put in the drain plug can cause a boat to sink.
Loosening a winch strap and removing the safety cable can cause a boat to fall off the trailer.

Most boat related issues are due to not following the Trailerboater's Checklist.

Having an outdrive drop because of an unexpected hydraulic leak is beyond our control, but nevertheless damage because of it is preventable.

 

[airshot]

Many of lifes lessons are learned the hard way !!

 

[jitterbug127]

I’m hesitant to drill into my transom only because I think I’m going to be buying old outboards and running different ones often. I have 2 different outboard motors that switch between now and this number is only going to increase in the future . It does make permanently mounting less desirable

 

[jitterbug127]

Does anyone have any good suggestion outside of bolting the outboard through the transom?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... See post #5,....

 

[JimS123]

Does anyone have any good suggestion outside of bolting the outboard through the transom?

Drill 2 holes in the transom just outside of the widest engine bracket and just above the transom clamp bolts. Install eye bolts with the eye inboard, and seal up the holes very well with 5200. Then, run an all thread thru the eyes and over the clamps. Washers and locknuts on each end. All SS parts.

If the motor is going to fall off it has to go up first. Now it can't. As long as its wide enough it will fit any width motor.

 

[airshot]

That is why people make safety cables/ chains and use them...

 

[JimS123]

That is why people make safety cables/ chains and use them...

They work quite well for 5's or 9.9's. But what do you do with a 25 that is hanging off the back of your transom out in the middle of the river?