Trailering motor in the up position

[jimpittman]

I have a 115 evinrude on a 16ft alluminum flat boat. I have been trailering the motor in the up position and used one of those portable aluminum motor supports that one end fits on the bottom of the trailer and the other end on lower unit of the motor. I noticed the other day that the motor has a locking device that can lock the motor in the up position after you trim it up. Can I trailer the motor with the locking mechanism built in on the motor? The portable device is a pain in the *** plus I don't like the pressure on the lower unit.
Thanks
jimpittman

 

[zach103]

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

don't do it.. .. i have it . and i did it today and dropped the hydraulics a couple inches to protect them.. well hit a good bump and there goes the motor.. dropped down the the hydraulics.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

The device you are describing is called a transom saver. If you notice it holds the lower unit far enough off the road to keep from scraping the skeg. It also holds the motor closer to the transom, reducing the amount of leveraged weight from a tilted out and locked motor. Also, those latches have a way of releasing as zack mentioned. Use your transom saver!

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

There's really not that much pressure on the lower unit with the Transom saver on. It transfers any weight straight down on the transom or to the trailer. I don't know how your locks are made but they will turn, pop out, or whatever when you hit a bump. Anyhow the few minutes it takes to put it on are well worth it to save your transom from flexing and cracking.

 

[109jb]

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

I personally don't like the transom savers except the spring loaded ones on a power trim and tilt motor. Reaon is that a fixed one will put more stress on the tilt system if the boat moves any on the trailer. Many boats move on the trailer a bit . Lets say the boat moves forward a little then the transom saver is now pushing up on the lower unit and stressing everything. I also don't believe a transom in good shape needs saving. If the transom is so weak that it breaks from that motor then it was compromised to begin with. I use a homemade lock like the one here for my 115 Mariner with power trim and tilt. This locks the motor up, but doesn't tie it to the trailer. They also have "transom savers" that have a spring loaded cartridge that at least won't deliver a hard shock to the trim and tilt system if the trailer moves a bit.

Now on a motor without power trim and tilt, a regular old transom saver is fine because the motor is free to tilt if the boat moves a little.

Just my opinion.

 

[jimpittman]

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

Thanks for the good information. I will stick with the portable transom saver until I can get something better. Something like 109jb described.
jimpittman

 

[bitterboater]

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

109jb, I like the idea of the pic in the link provided, it functions the same a standard transom saver by preventing the motor from exerting undue pressure on the transom during a sudden jar.
However, the transom saver while preventing damage to the transom. Links the boat to the trailer to transfer the force of the shock form a sudden jar down to the trailer in an area designed to handle that force. Without undue force being transferred to the boat transom and possibly causing expensive damage to said transom.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

I can understand how a transom saver can be a royal pain to connect, my one boat came with one, the rear cross member of the trailer though is way underneath, only the roller arms come to the back of the boat. A transom saver would have to be 6' long to reach the tilted motor and rear crossmember.
I made up a fixture out of stainless rods, which extends the locking position of the motor about 9" when in tow. This puts the motor up enough not to hit the skeg, keeps the weight well supported and locks the motor in place.

On really long trips, I tend to put a ratchet strap across the motor too just for good measure.

My 1995 Mercury 115 came with a towing bracket which slides into the tilt bracket and does the same thing as the one I made for my Evinrude. On one motor with no down latch, I made up a block that I can pin in place with an extra tilt pin with a trailer bow stop mounted on it which I then tie the motor down to with a ratchet strap.

I did buy one boat on which a previous owner had attached the clevis bracket of a transom saver to the lower transom and not the trailer. It was on a larger aluminum boat which also sat on a trailer with no rear crossmember to attach too. I didn't like it, but it didn't leak and it did seem to work well, but I didn't keep that boat very long but mostly due to it's size and weight.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

I agree with 109jb. Your transom doesn't need saving. I've trailered all my boats with the locking device including a 70 for 20 years (except my old 18; I used a hammer handle). But my new Yam 150 says not to, so if I have to go anywhere >5 miles I'll make a wood-block. I would not, however, rely on the hydraulic trim/tilt and I think the bouncing would be bad for it.

Your motor weighs the same, up or down. All of the weight is on the bracket. It weighs the same in the water as on the trailer. A bump in the road and a bump on a wave are virtually the same, to the extent that if your boat can handle one and not the other, you need a new boat. However, the boat and trailer don't move as one unit so directing engine pounding to a cross beam seems unwise.

 

[jeffnick]

Re: Trailering motor in the up position

If you've got one of these, it's a no brainer. I've towed my boat over 50,000 miles this way...