Towing with outboard

[xdzozo]

I have a 2006 Tracker Guide V14. I have always towed the boat with the Mercury 9.9hp 2 cycle (1997) off if the boat. Now that I'm past 70, it is much more of a hassle.
Do most of you tow with a small motor on the transom (I do have a Transom Saver support)? Thanks

 

[Ray Clark]

My 20HP Merc is on the boat all the time. I only take it off for a specific reason. It's always transported mounted on the transom and supported by the transom saver.

The next time I'll have the outboard off will be after this season when I want to reconfig the boat trailer and clean up the bottom of the boat and paint. Having the motor off will facilitate the work.

Yes...leave the motor on and use your transom saver. Fishing is supposed to be fun, not work.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

Yes...leave the motor on and use your transom saver. Fishing is supposed to be fun, not work.

+1

 

[xdzozo]

+1

Thanks, that's what I was hoping to hear.

 

[MstrDan]

I have a 9.9 Merc 4 stroke for my 1967 FD Alumacraft. Good solid transom. I tow with motor on. I store with motor off. I learned a while back that picking up 90 plus pounds is not a thing for this aging fellow myself. I installed a lift to put it on and off the boat. I don't use a transom saver but I only tow about 5 miles to the lake. If I went further on rough roads I would use one.

 

[TriBull]

I have a 2006 Tracker Guide V14. I have always towed the boat with the Mercury 9.9hp 2 cycle (1997) off if the boat. Now that I'm past 70, it is much more of a hassle.
Do most of you tow with a small motor on the transom (I do have a Transom Saver support)? Thanks

I have a 12’ v-hull with a 9.9 Yamaha on a jack plate. I tow with with the outboard in place, locked in the down position and no transom saver. I think this is the best arrangement IF - 1) your outboard skeg is further off the road service than the bottom of your trailer axle. 2) your trailer bunks extend at least a couple inches beyond the bottom of your transom.

 

[GYPSY400]

I use a transom saver. It takes strain ( weight) off the transom and puts it to the trailer.. I have a 30 hp 2 stroke mercury and it doesn't move at all while towing. I see way too many boats being towed and the motor is bouncing and flipping side to side etc.. even worse if the motor is tilted up as now you have a big lever on your transom.

 

[xdzozo]

Thank you all! My back already feels better....

 

[Unter]

Of my six trailered boats through the years, never used a transom saver.
I guess they have their place.

 

[airshot]

You only need support if you motor is free to flop up and down. I always have made a wooden wedge to hold the motor in the tilt position so it could not flop up and down when on a rough road. Transom savers are fine, but for small motors, you can make your own device to keep your motor in position. Been towing boats for over 60 years, never had a problem. If you have power T&T then you don't need any support unless you have to big a motor or a weak transom.

 

[LaqueRatt]

I have a 12’ v-hull with a 9.9 Yamaha on a jack plate. I tow with with the outboard in place, locked in the down position and no transom saver. I think this is the best arrangement IF - 1) your outboard skeg is further off the road service than the bottom of your trailer axle. 2) your trailer bunks extend at least a couple inches beyond the bottom of your transom.

Interesting. I've been going back and forth trying to decide if motor should be tipped or down. Have tried it both ways. Down seems easier and kinder to the transom. One question though. In the down position my skeg is considerably higher than the axle, but if I hit a big bump couldn't the skeg still hit the pavement? How much ground clearance is considered safe? Luckily I'm a 1/2 mile from the ramp, but one of these days I'd like to put it on a real lake. Which would be an hour or two drive.

 

[jethro]

If you can tow with your motor in the full down position and your skeg isn't below the height of the trailer axle then that's the way to do it. On my Starcraft with the 25hp I just tow it like that and it's not going to torque the transom much at all. With my Sylvan and the 150hp the skeg will hit the pavement in the full down position so I trim it up and use a transom saver.

In the down position my skeg is considerably higher than the axle, but if I hit a big bump couldn't the skeg still hit the pavement?

Unlikely I'd say, your suspension probably isn't much more than a realistic 3" of travel. One thing I will caution you about, reversing. One time I was reversing onto my yard, which is a bit of a rise from the road and the motor hit the dirt, pushed the boat way forward and damaged my bow stop. I wasn't moving very fast and it was pretty violent. Luckily and surprisingly did not damage the motor or transom, but be warned when reversing and your motor is all the way down.

 

[thill]

If you tilt the motor UP when trailering, the weight is more centered over the transom. If down, the motor is mostly pulling the center of the transom back when you hit bumps.

That being said, if your transom is solid, it probably doesn't matter much or at all, especially with a 50 or smaller motor, IF you have a 1-1/2" thick, 2 ply transom. Some transoms only have a pad on he outside, in which case, you should be more careful.

I have an aluminum tube transom on my Princecraft, so it really doesn't matter either way.

 

[gillhunter]

I don't take the motor off the boat and use a transom saver. Honda says you should with this engine because it doesn't lock in the up position. 70 years old also.

 

[flatheadsteve]

I always tilted the motor up and locked it on my boats throughout the years. My new Xpress came with a transom saver from the factory so I use it.

 

[LDUBS]

You only need support if you motor is free to flop up and down. I always have made a wooden wedge to hold the motor in the tilt position so it could not flop up and down when on a rough road. Transom savers are fine, but for small motors, you can make your own device to keep your motor in position. Been towing boats for over 60 years, never had a problem. If you have power T&T then you don't need any support unless you have to big a motor or a weak transom.

I use a product called M-Y Wedge to do the same thing. If I had just a little more clearance I would just leave the outboard down.

 

[TriBull]

Interesting. I've been going back and forth trying to decide if motor should be tipped or down. Have tried it both ways. Down seems easier and kinder to the transom. One question though. In the down position my skeg is considerably higher than the axle, but if I hit a big bump couldn't the skeg still hit the pavement? How much ground clearance is considered safe? Luckily I'm a 1/2 mile from the ramp, but one of these days I'd like to put it on a real lake. Which would be an hour or two drive.

On a flat service, I’m certain that your leaf springs could never compress to the point of allowing your skeg to hit! If you ever did have such a severe bump, I think your skeg would be of least concern compared to other potential damage. Now, driving across a swale/ditch/depression could be an issue, but that could also apply even with the motor up. I’ve pulled my trailer hundreds of miles in lots of different circumstances and have never had a problem, not even close…

 

[Shootstraight]

I personally would think a motor bouncing around in the back of a truck or boat would cause more damage than on the transom.
I have a 9.9 on my G3 1652 and I use a transom saver since it came with the boat. My buddy has same boat and has towed with his down since 2005 with no issues.

 

[airshot]

Transom saver is just another device to keep your motor from flopping up and down. The flopping is the issue...whatever you can do to stop it from happening is what is necessary. With the extra weight of 4 stroke engines, this becomes more important!

 

[airshot]

I use a product called M-Y Wedge to do the same thing. If I had just a little more clearance I would just leave the outboard down.

Same here, my 40 hp clears ok, but if a hill or in and out of driveways etc where there is a dip makes for a close call...to close for comfort ! I just use the power TT and it stays put no matter how hard the bounce. I only raise it a few inches for that little bit of extra clearance...