Towing boat with OB mounted

[pecheux]

Good day y'awl, Have question will travel ...

When I pull my fishing rig with motor mounted on transom I normaly leave the motor all the way down at lock position.

I ve been told by a fishing buddy that the engine should be fully raised upwards in lock position ...

The rig is a 14 footer fiber with either a 15hp or 9.9hp mounted on it. What's the recommended position to leave the motor at when towing ?

Thank you,

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

If you have at least a foot of clearance between the skeg and the road, leave the motor down. There is far less stress on the transom that way. If you have limited clearance, then the engine should be tilted upward AND a transom saver used. The tilt lock may not stand the bouncing on rough roads thus allowing the engine to drop and sustaining more damage. The engine can still flop a bit with the tilt lock engaged. The transom saver eliminates that and transfers the twisting forces to the trailer.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

The motor locked down puts less stress on the transom. However, if your boat/trailer is like mine it needs to be in the raised position otherwise the skeg is less than a foot from the road surface and is susceptible to damage from potholes, debris or uneven terrain.

Personally, with a motor that small I wouldn't travel with it on the transom at all. I have a 20hp on a 14' tin boat and at 85lbs its a little too heavy to take off and cart around after each use. I just leave it tilted up as did the previous owner. After 20 years there is no damage to the transom. However, my transom is very sturdy and has extra supports. More so than your average tin boat. Tilt with caution if you don't have some sort of transom-saver device.

 

[pecheux]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

Thank you guys .... actualy owned boats for over xxx years and always towed with motor locked down but also always wondered how the transom reacts on bad roads.

Though about towing with motor tilt unlocked so ease on the transom ... but then there could be motor slapping that could be even worst on transom pressure.

Its a wonder how we care for those toys huh ! lol

 

[JUSTINTIME]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

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[Texasmark]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

OEM's state that the tilt lock is for beaching only; not trailer towing. It's just a lightweight piece of bent up alum.

Other things that come into play are engine balance; actual weight and ratio of powerhead weight to lower unit weight and distance weight is from fulcrum of transom, transom supports; springs on the trailer, tire size/inflation and all that .

You're talking about foot-lbs of force acting on the transom. If the engine is vertical there are essentially no feet. When you tilt it you move the weight (lbs) away from the fulcrum so now you multiply the weight by feet. d

Power T-T is different than a tilt lock and I don't have a problem with an OB being held up with it only (at least mine). Course I can see the engine in my rear view mirror, checking it frequently, and if I should loose hyd pressure (slim chance) I would see it and stop.

Now, back when I had an I/O and I couldn't see the outdrive and there was no engine powerhead to counterbalance it then a transom saver was a must have.

My 2c.

Mark

 

[pecheux]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

texasmark: I meant pulling the trailer and boat while engine is down ... with the lock ON so the engine does not bounce and slap the transom.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

i tow mine unlocked just in case on a dirt road or debried on the road, the foot gets hit.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

I hear you, sorry for the misnomer on my part.

Hear what tas said, but there is a spring loaded release on it that will breakaway upon hitting an obstruction regardless of whether it's while in the water or trailered.

Problem is, that it takes force and time for the breakaway to get the message that it's time to do it's thing and breakaway. During that split second you can tear heck outta your stuff.

Having an outboard bouncing on the rear of the transom can't be good for it with the slamming down and all. I wouldn't want mine doing it.

One thing I usually do while trailering is be particularly aware of obstacles and things that could cause trailer problems and try to avoid them. Engine lower unit hanging down would just be one more thing to keep in mind.

Mark

 

[pecheux]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

I heard that .... mind you that I alway run my OB unlocked .... especialy at WOT since I did not know it would unlock or set free if it hits anything.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

That's the problem with PTT on an engine. Yeah they have pressure release valves in them for impact release, but it still takes time and the same thing applies only worse.

I ran across a submerged concrete anchor for a marina floating dock once with an 85 Merc running about 25 mph. All I felt was a slight lifting of the stern of the boat and wondered what that was.

Upon pulling the trailer out of the water and starting the tie down procedure it became obvious that I hit something. The lower 2" of the skeg were just sheared off. I guess the only thing that saved my prop was the lifting action when the front of the skeg hit it....it allowed the prop to pass over it before the boat settled back down.

Mark

 

[pecheux]

Re: Towing boat with OB mounted

TexasMark: Very same thing happened to me with my ol Merc 115hp ... I had tilt & trim on it so I guess it was locked in place ... hit bottom at approx same speed as you did ... for me also all seemed fine until I pulled it out at the boat launch ... tip bent all the way to the prop ...

So since then I run my smaller OB with the lever at the unlocked position ... not trusting the automatic release system.

Thanks for you feedback.