Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

[dingbat]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

I guess it pretty much depends on the type of boat you own. I read of people bending transoms and stuff on this board, but if you go down to my marina I've never seen a transom saver on a boat in my life and most are 150Hp and bigger with a lot of twins mixed in. <br /><br />I trailer with mine in the fully up position which pretty much balances the motor over the center of the transom. In this position the weight is bearing down on top of the transom which affords the best possible weight transfer to the transom. With that said, my transom is almost 3" thick so even if the motor was hung parallel to the transom the weight of a motor isn't going to harm a darn thing.<br /><br /> I’ve got a 9.9 kicker hanging off the transom and I’m still wondering why it hasn’t fallen off the back with all the poundings it’s taken over the years. <br />

 

[tony_cliffy]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

I'm the opposite of dingbat - I rarely see a boat without a transom saver. I'm one fo the few that I see on the road. Most people are either fortuante to tow straight down or they use a transom or hydraulic saving device. I don't have the clearence so I'm going to order a Swivle-Ez absorbing transom saver today.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

Dingbat, this is exactly the point most people don't understand...it does NOT matter that your engine is balanced at the mounting point, the bottom 2/3rds has the longest arm and creates a "bouncing effect" that puts a torsional load on the transom, I don't care how thick it is.<br />The outboard HAS to be secured in a device that is mounted from lower unit to trailer to eliminate the torsional effect to the transom.<br />If your one of those that buys a new boat every 2 years, you most likely won't have to worry about it, but it will show-up at trade-in time when the trained eye sees the bow in the transom, and an interested buyer (Informed) will see it too.<br />I've said my 2 cents, so tear'em up boys, it's only money!

 

[dingbat]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

QUOTE]torsional load on the transom, I don't care how thick it is.<br /> [/quote] <br />You are correct by this statement, but my argument is that there is enough torsion at work to warrant the use of said apparatus in a lot of cases. On lesser built boats I could see where it could be a problem. <br /><br />I've yet to see a Contender, Grady White, Regulator, or any another high dollar offshore boats show up to the ramp with a transom savor. Anyone know why?

 

[DJ]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

dingbat,<br /><br />Several reasons.<br /><br />1. They are tough, no question.<br /><br />2. They are also heavy, they don't bounce around like a 2000 pound boat does.<br /><br />3. Many times the engines are just lifted to the top of the trim travel, thus the cantilever effect is minimized.

 

[tee-boy]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

I know for fact that trans savers can cause damage to a transom. Especially if you have an aluminum transom b/c aluminum bends. I make sure when I tilt my motor down onto the saver that I just barely rest the motor against the saver. If I were to maximize the down tilt onto the saver, I would bend my transom towards the bow. I guess it depends on the quality of your transom.

 

[tony_cliffy]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

In my case we are talking about an aluminum transom. I have never fitted a transom saver onot an engine so I was wondering about this point brought up by tee-boy. I guess I would have it in their firmly but not maximum (nor minimum) force. If minimum then it seems the hydraulics would still be supporting thw weight and I want to avoid that.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

DJ,<br />That was my point. A well constructed boat does not need a transom saver. A well built transom is designed to absorb forces that go far beyond what a little trailer bounce will inflict upon them. Stuffing a rogue roller at 30 kts. with a 250 HP motor on the back will generate rotational forces on a transom that makes the forces generated by a little trailer bounce look pail in comparison. <br /><br />I'm on my second Grady now. The first was only 20' lg. but weighed in at almost 4700 lbs. sitting at the dock so I can assure you that it was built like a brick you know what. In the 20 years of it’s existence it’s never had a transom saver on it and when she was sold the surveyer reported that the transom was good and solid. The new boat has a Grady Drive on it which supposedly can't be done if you listen to some.

 

[DJ]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

digbat,<br /><br />Yep, you're right. Built like a brick #$#$* #$%&. <br /><br />However, there are lots of folks out there that aren't running Grady's. For them, the saver is a good tool to help prevent damage.<br /><br />I envy you!

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

Well said, DJ.<br />dingbat, the grady drive saver is for hydraulics, not the transom. And yes, your boat is bigger than mine, and about 400,000 other peoples, that NEED a transom saver. No doubt, the Grady is a well-built boat, we have several here on texoma, but they aren't trailered, most are in slips year-round, so I don't see them on trailers with any devices, so I must respect your opinion on the larger boats, and will not contest that. I will, however, continue to recommend and use a transom saver on any boat it can be mounted on.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

the grady drive saver is for hydraulics, not the transom

The Grady Drive has nothing to do with hydraulics. It's a bracket that bolts to the transom that moves the motor back @ 3 feet off the transom. It allows you to have a closed transom and at the same time keeps the prop away from any turbulence caused by the hull.<br />

<br />This picture isn’t of my personal boat but it’s the small model. <br /><br />The point I'm trying to make is that not every boat needs a transom saver as some inply. Some benefit from them and for others it's a complete waste of time and money. <br /><br />Maybe I need a transdom saver for my kicker

 

[BillP]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

I'm with dingbat on this one. Slamming over waves offshore pales anything trailering can do to the boat or motor. <br /><br />If history means anything, the millions of boats that didn't use them all these years would have busted motors, hyd systems or transoms...but they don't...and aren't showing up in marinas or boatyards where I live (FL)in numbers big enough to even measure or talk about. We have mostly smooth road here and maybe thay is the reason we don't see it. I'm not saying not to use one but the problem is no way as big as the hype seems to be. I've trailered 40 yrs and 10,000s of miles without them on motors up to 140hp. On long trips I tie the motor so it doesn't flop from side to side. Never a problem.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

As far as I am concerned, if used properly and cared for, a transom saver won't hurt anything. I personally do not feel they are needed, and I rarely see them in my area, and we have horrible roads here. <br /><br />Side note: There is no possible way a bounce from a bump in the road even vaguely comes close to the force applied to the transom when trying to come up on plane. If a transom is bowed, it is not from a lack of transom saver, it is because it is rotting out. I can gaurantee that any bowed transom out there is all squishy inside. The leverage theory is flawed as well. If the motor is balanced over the transom when fully tilted, it does not matter if the leg is ten feet long as long as the powerhead is creating the same opposing weight. There is no leverage when the load is balanced. That is why they call it balance.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

Just my $0.02 (where is that darn cent sign, anyway?) <br /><br />See my signature for the boat specs. The trailer is a Load Rite bunk style 1180 GVW. I have trailered the boat 7 times on both short and long trips witht he motor on the tilt support or with a block of wood wedged in. It bounces. Bounces a lot. So for my own piece of mind I ordered a transom saver that has the option of a solid mount to trailer. Used the solid mount bolted low on the stern roller bracket (uses a removable pin to secure) and the rubber bungie to attach the motor. This has worked great. No bouncing, and the motor does not flop back and forth pushing the steering. <br /><br />The Transom Savor is cheap insurance and you will feel better when you look in the rear view if nothing else.<br /><br />Its up to you, but after using one, I favor it for my small boat setup.<br /><br />Mark.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

JasonJ, no way. Not even close. There is plenty of leverage and torque on the transom. Please take a physics course.<br /><br />And on any boat with a bowed transom being rotted out.<br />Wrong again. Dad's boat was only 2 years old, always garaged, and only in the water 10 days a year.<br />Transom moved so far it pulled away from the splashwell and split open on top.<br /><br />The folks at two trailer shops said it was the combined effect of poor trailer design and the lack of a transom saver, which set the trailer/boat/motor to oscillating and creating a harmonic vibration. It broke one of the screw clamps and jambed the other. Luckily the motor was also bolted on, or it would have been worse.

 

[Rudderman]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

I use a transom saver on my 10 ft runabout with a wooden transom and 15hp 4 stroke on the back. I would imagine that hitting a pothole at 70mph would inflict a bigger force on the transom than hitting a wave when in the water.<br />Since my boat is made from marine plywood and basically held together with epoxy, anything that reduces the fatigue on the glue joints is a good thing.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

Unless there is a way to ensure absolutely no flexing of the trailer when traveling I think a Transom Breaker should be avoided. Otherwise, any and all stress is now completely applied to the transom, multiplied by the 2 to 3 ft leverage of the leg.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

Bunch of guys here need to take a modern Physics course....only a few understand what is really happening back there, as I said above....

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

dingbat, the transom extension is know as "set-back", and in this case is used to "balance the boat". This pod also magnifies the torsional load on the transom-I don't need any instruction on set-back, that's something I do for a living, and your SET-BACK is not for getting the prop in "cleaner, less turbulant water", it's to balance the boat in a position as to not porpoise.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: Dealer said to NOT use a transom saver when trailering

There is one simple thing that nobody does that would make using a transom saver just peachy as far as I'm concerned. Relieve the hydraulic pressure on the trim system. With no lock-down effect on the motor, the motor is free to move with the flex of the trailer. That would almost completely relieve the stress created by trailer flex and the transom saver would be very effective indeed. A few turns on the manual relief valve is all it takes. But nobody does it.