should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

[ibeiser]

I think I hit a sandbar which caused a spun prop hub. A friend who was on the boat with me said that the engine should have tilted up when hitting the sandbar. Is this true? If so, what might be responsible for not allowing the outboard engine to pop up on contact with the sandbar?

(It is a 2007 Suzuki 115HP outboard engine)

 

[Outsider]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

If it has trim and tilt, no. If it does not, then yes, unless it's latched down. Do you, or was it ...

 

[F_R]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

If hitting a sand bar caused a slipping prop hub, it was ready to go anyway. Around here, boats wouldn't make it back from the first trip if hitting sand would kill a hub. Try an oyster bar on for size.

I don't know anything about Suzukis, but any motor that I've ever heard of will tilt up if you sit something hard enough. Even if locked down.

Except my 1918 Evinrude. It doesn't tilt at all.

 

[5150abf]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

Don't know Suzukis but on my Evinrude there is a handle that you can flip, one way locks it down the other lets it come up.

Look around on your motor mount and see if you can find something similar.

Concur with the spun hub, it was something else or it was in pretty bad shape, I have hit all kinds of stuff, trees, hard bottom rocks ect and never once spuna hub, I have ripped blades off but never spun one.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

Unless the sand is packed hard like concrete, the prop is just going to cut into it and the engine will not kick up. The engine will slow down and may even stall from the load, but it won't kick up no matter what type latch or tilt you have.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

Can't vouch for that particular Suzuki, but tilt and trim equipped outboards have internal valves and springs that allow "kick up" if the gearcase is hit hard enough.

If hitting a sandbar at lower speeds, the motor will probably not kick up. The trim unit has to have enough resistance to keep from "kicking up" when powering in reverse.

If the impact to the sandbar is at higher speeds (ouch!) then the internal hydraulic vavles will open and allow the motor to tilt up, plus the valving and oil acts as a shock absorber to minimize damage to the outboard and the boat transom.

 

[RRitt]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

trim pistons are usually push rods that won't hold an engine down. Tilt pistons usually have springs and ball bearing that will pop open for an instant if you strike something hard enough. The real problem with hitting a sandbar in my boat is that the sand gets sucked in a chews up the water pump.

 

[JimS123]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

Except my 1918 Evinrude. It doesn't tilt at all.

I keep telling everybody you should never buy a second hand outboard motor. Technology is always improving. If you had waited a few years, you could have gotten a good one.

Mine is a LOT newer and it has the tilt lever. (1923)

I bet yours doesn't even have a skeg!

 

[ibeiser]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

"If it has trim and tilt, no. If it does not, then yes, unless it's latched down. Do you, or was it ... "

I'm not sure of the difference between tilt and trim. It has power up and down controls like power windows on your car that you use to tilt the engine up and down.

 

[coolguy147]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

doesn't mean damage won't occur

sand and shells in pick-up. etc....

 

[pecheux]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

Owned an oldie 6 cyl 115 hp Mercury equiped with tilt & trim and it would not tilt up and would simply dig in the sand bar until I could feel it and cut off the trottle and raise the engine via the electric tilt & trim.

 

[mommicked]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

I always trim my motor up some in shallow water and proceed slowly,hoping if I do hit something log,bottom,rock,sandbar, that may have more than just sand in it!I may do less or no damage at all.it must be easier for the engine to kick up when its already tilted somewhat.I also have my fishfinder shallow water alarm on set a 8'.my eng.kicks up in reverse if I goose it too much.I guess that wont work in shallow sandy areas were you want to go fast to stay on top.

 

[Fed]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

I've owned Mercs & OMCs fitted with tilt & trim, they were designed to kick up when they hit something. These motors were 1970 to 1990 models and I'm sure more modern ones would have retained this safety feature. I think smaller motors without tilt & trim use a mechanical latch when reverse gear is selected, in forward they are free kick up. Never owned a non tilt & trim motor so maybe someone else can confirm this.

 

[Vanover]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

My 40hp has power tilt,trim and it will not kick up. The smaller non power tilt do have latches like mentioned above. If you leave it unlatched it will kick up in fwd. Latch it in rev and you are good to go.

 

[F_R]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

My 40hp has power tilt,trim and it will not kick up. The smaller non power tilt do have latches like mentioned above. If you leave it unlatched it will kick up in fwd. Latch it in rev and you are good to go.

Betcha it will. The key is hit it hard enough. Sure, hitting a sand bar won't make it tilt, but I'll bet hitting a log will. If that were not so, it would rip the whole transom out of the boat. Merc is smarter than that.

 

[Vanover]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

I hope you are right, kinda. I guess i have never tested it. I just figured it being hyaulic it would need the pump to give way to let it move. I never thought of it like how you mentioned above.

 

[tsailorh]

Re: should outboard engine tilt up when hitting a sandbar?

If hitting a sand bar caused a slipping prop hub, it was ready to go anyway. Around here, boats wouldn't make it back from the first trip if hitting sand would kill a hub. Try an oyster bar on for size.

I don't know anything about Suzukis, but any motor that I've ever heard of will tilt up if you sit something hard enough. Even if locked down.

Except my 1918 Evinrude. It doesn't tilt at all.

As long as the oysters are big and the beer is cold, I'll try any oyster bar!!!!