Travelling with 15 hp mercury

[Walleye Slayer]

Hey, I just bought a 2006 15 hp 2 stroke mercury outbaord and have begun to travel to fishing destinations. I travel with it attached to the boat transom that is being towed. What I've notice is that the motor, has quite a bit of bounce it it while travelling in the down position. I looked to find a 'locking' position, but have yet to find one. It makes me apprehensive to continue to travel like this, cuase it can be quite dangerous and damaging. Any thoughts?

 

[Lrider]

Re: Travelling with 15 hp mercury

Read through this

a lot of good info and opinions here

Personally I like the transom savers

 

[roscoe]

Re: Travelling with 15 hp mercury

You should be able to lock the motor down by shifting into reverse.


If that doesn't work, put a tie down strap from the lower unit to the trailer.

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Travelling with 15 hp mercury

The less jostling and bouncing you have, the better. This starts with strapping your boat's transom to the trailer frame, and then possibly using a transom saver to hold the motor in place and protect the transom of your boat, just as the name implies. Whether or not this is practical depends upon the configuration of your trailer and how your boat is positioned relative to the trailer's rear cross member. Transom savers are generally attached to the motor's lower unit when the motor is partially raised. If you have the road clearance to tow with the motor tilted all the way down, and prefer to tow that way, then a transom saver will not be practical. A little bouncing around won't hurt the motor, it's the boat's transom that needs protection from all the flexing caused by the weight of the motor.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Travelling with 15 hp mercury

Shift it into reverse, then tie a bungie from the tiller to one of the stern cleats. No bounce and no swivel and no problem. Been doing that since 1968 and haven't had a problem yet.