# Motor up or down while trailering?



## jethro

My 14' Starcraft SF140 is the first boat I've had where the motor stays on during trailering. The guys who sold it to me said not to worry about the motor being down while trailering because the axle is lower than the skeg. Made perfect sense to me and I've actually hauled the boat probably 5000 miles or more with the motor down. Recently I have had a few people tell me I need to put the motor up when trailering. I said, "Look at the axle, if I hit anything it will be the axle" but a few people have told me it doesn't matter, the motor needs to be tilted up while trailering to avoid damage to the skeg. 

What say you? Motor up or down?


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## lckstckn2smknbrls

Transom savers are cheap insurance. The axle won't help you if you back into a curb.


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## Yannie

I always trail with motor up and sitting on transom saver. I travel some really horrible little roads to get to the lakes around here and if the axle goes down in a big hole the motor would be dragging on the ground if it were down.


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## RiverBottomOutdoors

Small outboards should be on a transom saver. I have seen people scrape the skeg when the trailer goes through a dip in a parking lot.


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## SumDumGuy

I always transport with the motor locked down. Never came close to scraping with the trailer I have.


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## JoshKeller

leave my motor down on both my boats. as long as you motor isnt locked, even if you were to be the one guy in a million to drag the skeg it would still kick up


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## kofkorn

With some of the roads around here, I would be terrified of running with my motor down and unlocked! I've had the trailer tires bounce a good 6-8" off of the road. I can only imagine what the motor would be doing to the transom if it was flopping up and slamming down in that case. 

When trailering my 14' Meyers, I normally run with the motor locked in the up position. I don't have a transom saver on this boat, and I figure this keeps the weight centered on top of the transom instead of cantilevering off of the end.


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## JMichael

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=355631#p355631 said:


> kofkorn » Today, 04:57[/url]"]With some of the roads around here, I would be terrified of running with my motor down and unlocked! I've had the trailer tires bounce a good 6-8" off of the road. I can only imagine what the motor would be doing to the transom if it was flopping up and slamming down in that case.


I don't have to imagine what the results of this would be. Over the years I've seen quite a few boats with the transom or corner gussets cracked as a result of this practice. If you're driving on good roads you probably won't have any problems but for those of us that run a lot of gravel roads or roads with potholes, good luck if you don't use a transom saver.


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## ccm

I leave my motor down but only because my bunk boards are way to high. I bungee cord the motor to the point where it wont move. When I lower the bunks I will get a transom saver.


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## JoshKeller

i firmly believe a transom saver does more harm than good. when the engine is down, it is locked against the transom in a neutral way. with the motor up, you now have side to side torque and well as changing the balance point of the motor. and the thin tube aluminum on a transom saver will do nothing except transmit vibration and road bumps to the motor from the trailer. I want my boat to float independant of the trailer (aside from the bow and rear tie downs) instead of being locked into the movements of the trailer.


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## NautiBuoys

My OMC engine manual clearly states trailer with the engine down. Have plenty of road clearance and no issues whatsoever...


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## Boat2fast

In general, I'm for trailering with the engine down. Set the tilt pin for good clearance and that's all. I lock it down too. If needed, I bungee left or right to limit swing. 

This way the weight is carried the way its supposed to be. Vertical. With the engine tilted up all the motors weight is way up high and it has a lot of leverage on the transom. 

If the boat I'm trailering has power trim, I will raise it up through the trim range only, for clearance.

I have never found a need for a transom saver.

Every boat/trailer has its own set of conditions and variations.


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## Insanity

Il be using a transom saver when I get my little motor. As I have in the past with all my boats. The theory sounds good to me. 
As for my boat its straped to the trailer when in tow. I don't want that thing flipping off if things ever get squirrely. I've heard of that happening on a bridge one time when the guy hit the curve. Lesson learned. :wink:


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## momule

I would never trailer a boat without a transom saver. The transom carries the total weight of the motor and with the transom saver a good portion of that weight is taken off the transom and put directly on the trailer frame. This keeps bouncing weight off the transom. Someone said that it transmits vibration from the trailer into the motor and yes, it does, but the boat sits on the trailer so that vibration goes into the motor anyway.

A trailer that places the boat high enough off the ground to be able to pull it with the engine in the down position is a rig that would be difficult to launch on most of the ramps that are available to me. I would have to back that boat far enough into the water to float the boat that half my truck would also be in the water.

Just because the axle is lower than the skeg does not mean that the motor is not at risk if trailered in the down position. My home town ramp is accessible only by going over a rail crossing and the unevenness of the crossing has caught many lower units in the down position. Scraping the skeg on the pavement while the trailer bounces over a rail crossing is ALWAYS a bad idea.

I would not buy a used boat that had been trailered for much time without a transom saver in use.


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## HeavyHook

I do a mix of up and down and Ill explain. 

I have read many different reasons and theories as to how you should drive with your motor. I basically have it a minimum tilt. 

I will try and get some pictures but the point is I made my own transom saver that does not go out as far as normal ones do (pretty much it is almost a full 6-8 inches shorter). I do this with a Mercury 25hp so it is not a crazy amount of weight. I made the transom saver out of 2 pieces of 2x4 that are pieced together with metal angle and then it is tiled with rubber in the V where the motor sits in. It attaches to the trailer perfectly so it allows just the right amount of bounce if I hit a solid bump but also keeps the motor stiff for smoother rides to avoid bouncing. 

I was having a problem of driving and having the motor bounce around basically flexing the transom so I took the middle approach by only allowing movement when past a certain amount of pressure. The first one I made cracked the wood because I had too much pressure so I shortened it and everything has been great. I even check the transom bolts for the motor and they stay nice and tight compared to wiggling loose like they were in the past. I see no noticeable movement on the transom anymore and I also get to keep the motor tilted just enough to keep gravity on my side when it comes to bad roads. 

I went over the amount of weight / bounce / stress etc that occur with the weight of the motor against the transom verse bounce from road verse flex and the solution was simple to me. 

Come to think of it I should patent this lol. The concept does allow the motor to clear bigger holes also depending on how bad of road you drive on. I have made 2-3 versions of the transom saver which I think is more of a motor stabilizer for my problem then it was a transom saver. It does both while allowing some give to not stress the transom. 

Sorry if what I wrote sounds incredibly confusing.


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## HeavyHook

Momule 

The idea is almost like a car bumper or frame as it pertains to dispersing the bounce and stress of the motor on the transom. I try to allow just the right amount of bounce while keeping the motor in constant pull back to the trailer to disperse the energy. The result of my saver would be different for each boat, the location of how the boat sits on trailer and the location of the axle etc. 

I have the same problem in my home town of where to launch the boat at what ramp because of the decline. In one spot I would have to get half the truck in the water and the other it doesnt even come close. The solution for me was to lower the boat as much as I could on the trailer while keeping a safe riding height for the motor when moving. With the transom saver version I made it keeps it a perfect height to where I could launch without worry and still keep the thought of being safe. 

For one ramp it declines so slowly that I just went ahead and purchased two 12 inch trailer extensions and connected them (price was a total of $15 which is why i didnt just buy a 24inch). I would attach the extension at the ramp in 5 minutes and it would allow me to stay just enough out of the water that I could launch safely. I even had FWC / Local Police watch me and come ask me what in the world I was doing. After explaining they went and bought the same set up in order to launch their boat at the same ramp without submerging their trucks haha. I only go to that ramp 5-10 times a year so its not a hassle.


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## lovedr79

up. i use a transom saver too.


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## Texas Prowler

HeavyHook said:


> Momule
> 
> The idea is almost like a car bumper or frame as it pertains to dispersing the bounce and stress of the motor on the transom. I try to allow just the right amount of bounce while keeping the motor in constant pull back to the trailer to disperse the energy. The result of my saver would be different for each boat, the location of how the boat sits on trailer and the location of the axle etc.
> 
> I have the same problem in my home town of where to launch the boat at what ramp because of the decline. In one spot I would have to get half the truck in the water and the other it doesnt even come close. The solution for me was to lower the boat as much as I could on the trailer while keeping a safe riding height for the motor when moving. With the transom saver version I made it keeps it a perfect height to where I could launch without worry and still keep the thought of being safe.
> 
> For one ramp it declines so slowly that I just went ahead and purchased two 12 inch trailer extensions and connected them (price was a total of $15 which is why i didnt just buy a 24inch). I would attach the extension at the ramp in 5 minutes and it would allow me to stay just enough out of the water that I could launch safely. I even had FWC / Local Police watch me and come ask me what in the world I was doing. After explaining they went and bought the same set up in order to launch their boat at the same ramp without submerging their trucks haha. I only go to that ramp 5-10 times a year so its not a hassle.


Do you mind posting a picture of this

Sent from the dust in front of you!


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## GYPSY400

Transom savers are just that.. Transom savers. .. it helps share the load of the motor by transferring some of the weight directly to the trailer . And most certainly takes out any boucing or jarring of the motor on the transom while hitting bumps on the road.

GYPSY400


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## grumpybear

I have a 1988 sf 14, I leave mine down being the trailer .The only time I tilt it up is when I am launching it in shallow water .hope this helps


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## onthewater102

Transom saver all the way.


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## bcbouy

i've always trailered mine down.my new tohatsu says in the manual to trailer in the locked down position.if it eventually wrecks my my transom, which i doubt it ever will,then oh well,i get to buy a new boat.win/win.my bunks are raised up so the skeg is over 18 inches off the ground.imho,if you're worried about it being too heavy then it's probably too much motor for your hull rating.


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## Fire1386

Transom saver....


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## Molokai

I had this 12' hypalon inflatable years ago with a Tohatsu 18hp on the back. Kind of an extreme example because the wood transom is glued to the tubes but it really demonstrated how a transom saver saved transoms. Before i got the saver i would look in my rear view and every time i hit a bump the outboard would jostle around, if i was on a bad road the shaking around of the outboard was constant. It got me worried because it was like this repetitive motion injury to the attachment points of the transom. Only a matter of time before they were weakened. I got a TS and when i looked in the rear view the majority of the movement of the outboard was gone. Wont trailer without one now. Only my opinion and not the most scientific but oh well......


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## Jmar

Yeah..... So I usually have the motor up when trailering, but the other day I decided to leave it down after a day of fishing to see how the trailer would react on the ride home. Everything felt good and went smooth until I had to back into my driveway. Not enough clearance. Long story short, I installed the new prop today.


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## LDUBS

I would prefer to trailer with the motor down, but just don't have enough clearance for peace of mind. Guy at the place I bought the boat said just hold the motor up using tilt lock lever. Mercury OB owner's manual says to use a transom saver, so I ended up using a transom saver.


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## dirty dave

I have always used a transom saver/ moter toter. Seems to me that most of the high end bass boats use them, so would think thats the best way to trailer. 

Whats the advantages or reasoning for trailering motor down? 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk


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## LDUBS

dirty dave said:


> Whats the advantages or reasoning for trailering motor down?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk



Not sure it is an advantage so to speak, but my owner's manual prefers that boat be trailered with the motor down. If that isn't possible due to clearance issues, then Mercury recommends use of a transom saver. The concern is that the power tilt, including the lock lever, is not designed to support the motor while trailering. Having read this in the owner's manual, I suppose I'm more concerned about damage to the power tilt than to the transom. As it is, to get needed clearance I have to use the transom saver.


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## jethro

Jmar said:


> Yeah..... So I usually have the motor up when trailering, but the other day I decided to leave it down after a day of fishing to see how the trailer would react on the ride home. Everything felt good and went smooth until I had to back into my driveway. Not enough clearance. Long story short, I installed the new prop today.



Oh yes, if the motor is down you have to be really careful reversing!


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## nccatfisher

The axle is lower than the prop but it is way forward. How many people have seen motor home get high centered on the back bumper pulling across RR tracks off the road into parking lots etc? Same thing with that motor behind the axle. And that is in a perfect world with the boat setting level, if the tongue is setting a little high it is only worse. Motor at least partially up with a transom saver.


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## jethro

nccatfisher said:


> The axle is lower than the prop but it is way forward. How many people have seen motor home get high centered on the back bumper pulling across RR tracks off the road into parking lots etc? Same thing with that motor behind the axle. And that is in a perfect world with the boat setting level, if the tongue is setting a little high it is only worse. Motor at least partially up with a transom saver.



Thousands of miles on my motor down setup and nope, never had that issue.


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## ray55classic

jethro said:


> nccatfisher said:
> 
> 
> 
> The axle is lower than the prop but it is way forward. How many people have seen motor home get high centered on the back bumper pulling across RR tracks off the road into parking lots etc? Same thing with that motor behind the axle. And that is in a perfect world with the boat setting level, if the tongue is setting a little high it is only worse. Motor at least partially up with a transom saver.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thousands of miles on my motor down setup and nope, never had that issue.
Click to expand...



Like everything in life you always remember that "first time" the best


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## SeaFaring

https://www.boatus.com/magazine/trailering/2012/march/transom-saver.asp

An interesting article on this issue. This is all so new to me that I don't have any first hand input. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Jim

Motor up for me, but still contemplating what to do. Dealer said up with motor leaning on lock bracket. :-k


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## eshaw

I have a pontoon that has a 90 horse 2 stroke on it (Johnson) and that motor has a tilt lock on it. I always trailer with it in the locked position. I've seen a couple of toons that use a transom saver but that seems to be the exception. I don't feel that application is necessary myself. I also have a 16 foot aluminum john boat that is all welded. When I purchased the boat I trailered it home, approximately 120 miles without a transom saver. The boat had a 2 stroke Mercury 40 horse on it at the time. When I got to the house I found two cracks, both of which were on the sides of the knee that attaches to the transom and I know for a fact they weren't there when I purchased the boat. For that reason alone I started using the transom saver on it. I even use them on the kicker that I added to the transom. I'm of the opinion that if it's an aluminum boat and uses a jack plate or anything that sets the engine back further off the transom that a transom saver should be used. It's a matter of leverage. Also, the weight of the 4 strokes now days adds to the transom weight as well as the added torque from that weight. I personally won't rely on just a tilt lock alone whether the engine manufacturer states it's not required. The shock and loads of trailering are directly transferred between the two and anything I can do to cushion and absorb those loads helps mitigate those loads.


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## LDUBS

I use the transom saver to "save" my power tilt & trim and trim lock. Really has nothing to do with saving the transom. If I could trailer with the motor down, I wouldn't use a transom saver. 

On the other hand.... This morning when I launched the boat I had the bow line in my hand. Problem was it wasn't tied to the boat. Boat was too far for me to reach and I wasn't going to jump. So, I grabbed the transom saver out of the back of my truck and used it as a makeshift boat hook.


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## RaisedByWolves

LDUBS said:


> I use the transom saver to "save" my power tilt & trim and trim lock. Really has nothing to do with saving the transom. If I could trailer with the motor down, I wouldn't use a transom saver.
> 
> On the other hand.... This morning when I launched the boat I had the bow line in my hand. Problem was it wasn't tied to the boat. Boat was too far for me to reach and I wasn't going to jump. So, I grabbed the transom saver out of the back of my truck and used it as a makeshift boat hook.




New guy here but long time tin boater and I think this sums it up well.

If you have the clearance leave it down.

If it has to be up for whatever reason use a transom saver.

I never saw a motor bob up and down more than when I tried towing using the tilt lock.

I currently have 10" of clearance wich IMHO is plenty.


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## Hanr3

IF you have the ground clearance, motor down is fine. The transom is designed to carry the weight of the motor and does so while the motor is pushing the boat across the lake. 

I am not a transom saver fan. Like I already said, the transom is designed to carry the weight of the motor while under power. No manufacture will tell you there transom is so weak that you need a transom saver, and if they did recommend one. Find another manufacture. They are selling junk.

As to the comments about transferring motor weight to the trailer with a transom saver. You are also adding a force to the lower unit. which in turn puts stresses on your motor pivot points and lower unit to head unit bolts in a shearing motion. When bolts fail they generally shear in-half.


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## TheLastCall

Transoms are built to support the motor the manufacturer recommends. So if you don’t 
over power your boat, it will be fine.

With the motor tilted down. The weight will be vertical so not much added leverage by the motor to transom when going over bumps.

A tilted motor would have more leverage to twist the transom. 

Clearance to the ground should be your biggest consideration.

I use a transom saver. Some of the railway crossings I go over are steep, the outboard would be too close to the ground.

I’m a strong believer that if you use a transom saver your boat,motor and trailer have to become 1. There can’t be any movement between any of them.

Long story short, in my opinion is there a wrong way. Yes, if your motor hits the ground.

Other than that do what you are comfortable with.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## onthewater102

Lol, nope. Manufacturers motor ratings are a function of the dimensions of the boat, stearing style, hull style (chine/no chine) and transom height. The transom could be made out of paper mache and it wouldn't matter a bit for the outboard size rating.


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## TheLastCall

onthewater102 said:


> Lol, nope. Manufacturers motor ratings are a function of the dimensions of the boat, stearing style, hull style (chine/no chine) and transom height. The transom could be made out of paper mache and it wouldn't matter a bit for the outboard size rating.



Guess you learn something new everyday. So I’ll rephrase, boat manufacturers SHOULD be making transom to hold motors that the boat is rated for.

Just out of curiosity does this mean it’s more based from weight distribution rather than hp. IE: tiller boats are rated lower because the weight ( operator, fuel, battery, motor) is all at the stern vs consoles the weight is shifted more forward. Same hull design.


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## gatorglenn

TheLastCall said:


> onthewater102 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Lol, nope. Manufacturers motor ratings are a function of the dimensions of the boat, stearing style, hull style (chine/no chine) and transom height. The transom could be made out of paper mache and it wouldn't matter a bit for the outboard size rating.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Guess you learn something new everyday. So I’ll rephrase, boat manufacturers SHOULD be making transom to hold motors that the boat is rated for.
> 
> Just out of curiosity does this mean it’s more based from weight distribution rather than hp. IE: tiller boats are rated lower because the weight ( operator, fuel, battery, motor) is all at the stern vs consoles the weight is shifted more forward. Same hull design.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

you are correct. Take my boat , it is rated for 75hp max, but 400lbs transom weight. So in the class of mercury motors. I could put a 115hp on my boat. Because the 75,90 and 115 are all the same motor at 390lbs. But the rating is 75 for price point. The USG formula saids my boat size is rated to a 135hp. But the transom isn’t built for that much weight. 

I use a motor totter. Because of the height over of the pavement. But if mine had a tote system like Evinrude has. I wouldn’t use one.


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## BrentD

I agree with momule. The point of a transom saver is to keep the motor from rocking forward and back while hitting bumps in order to avoid damage to the transom. The part about it not hitting the skeg is just a side benefit. The average transom replacement around here is $2500+ (on a fiberglass boat). I've never seen a motor damaged motor from vibration caused by using a transom saver, but I HAVE seen a transom damaged from the motor rocking while driving. This might be my first "real" boat, but I've been around them for quite a while, and my close friend owns a boat repair company.


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## S&amp;MFISH

Down all the way, no trim whatsoever................................................................... I have a jet.


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## earl60446

I guess we definitely answered that question. 

A TinBoater clearly must use a transom saver and have the motor up while towing

unless of course you prefer to have it down (locked or unlocked, who knows)


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## bcbouy

or you can just raise your bunks.


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## CedarRiverScooter

Or lower the hitch ball receiver.


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## jethro

Good to see my thread still has traction here! I have a new (used) boat and now have to tow while the motor is up, so it came with and I will use the transom saver. It's a big boy, a 150 Merc Saltwater. It's barely high enough even at full up trim. Motor is almost as tall as I am.







So in my opinion (and we all know what they say about them) the answer is "Up if you need the clearance, down if you don't".


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## ppine

Motor up, transom saver and the wheel bungied to the windshield stantion to keep the motor straight.


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## thomasdgs

The first year I had my boat and motor I learned a tough lesson at the expense of my 80's Merc's immaculate original paint. Towing a boat with the outboard down on a gravel road will wreck the paint on your motor's lower end. After 45 minute of gravel with the motor down (strapped tight to prevent bouncing) the paint on one side of my lower end is more chip than not. 

My outboard is only a 25 hp, but i transport it on the boat (bolted on all season), so I now use a transom saver.


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## LDUBS

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I use the transom saver to protect my outboard's PT&T, not to protect the transom. I was using a Cabelas transom saver that used a twist lock connection at the trailer. 

Well, the worst nightmare happened. The end of the transom saver that connects to the trailer came loose and was dragging along on the pavement from the bungie around the lower unit. I was lucky that no damage was done other some some scratches in the OB paint. The connecting end of the transom saver was half gone from grinding along the pavement. I didn't care because I chucked it as soon as I got home. I have no idea how this happened. 

So, I no longer use a transom saver. I now use one of the wedge style motor supports. The brand I use is M-Y Wedge. It is a lot easier to use than the transom saver.


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## eshaw

I don't see anything wrong with toting your motor on the transom without a transom saver if the motor is down and a light weight motor. I won't do it with it tilted up though. I imagine a light weight on the transom is fine but the bigger motors should be supported just because of the leverage they place on the transom in the tilted position. I agree that they are fine on the water but the road is a totally different animal when it comes to transferring shock loads versus water. The shock loads are totally different and a transom saver should be used. As far as the tilt/trim goes that unit is hydraulic and can absorb some jolts in compression.


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## GYPSY400

LDUBS said:


> As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I use the transom saver to protect my outboard's PT&T, not to protect the transom. I was using a Cabelas transom saver that used a twist lock connection at the trailer.
> 
> Well, the worst nightmare happened. The end of the transom saver that connects to the trailer came loose and was dragging along on the pavement from the bungie around the lower unit. I was lucky that no damage was done other some some scratches in the OB paint. The connecting end of the transom saver was half gone from grinding along the pavement. I didn't care because I chucked it as soon as I got home. I have no idea how this happened.
> 
> So, I no longer use a transom saver. I now use one of the wedge style motor supports. The brand I use is M-Y Wedge. It is a lot easier to use than the transom saver.



So I take it you had nothing securing the transom saver other than the twist socket and the bungee around the motor?

I use a transom saver and also a rachet strap from the lower end to the trailer frame.

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk


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## Superlucky

My last boat, a Klamath 14 came with a manual that clearly stated no transom saver was to be used. 
I just bought a new Gregor Alaskan and I emailed Gregor regarding this issue. They too said that I was not to use a transom saver and leave the motor down when towing.

Food for thought.

Best regards
Bill


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## thedude

ppine said:


> Motor up, transom saver and the wheel bungied to the windshield stantion to keep the motor straight.


Same here. Mine is just as much a prop saver as the long shaft hangs down well past the trailer frame.


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## bcbouy

one of the benefits of the no feedback steering is it tends to stay in one position while the boat is being trailered.i drop the motor down onto the transom saver and it does not move at all as long as i compress the saver at least half way to the stop.


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## LDUBS

GYPSY400 said:


> LDUBS said:
> 
> 
> 
> As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I use the transom saver to protect my outboard's PT&T, not to protect the transom. I was using a Cabelas transom saver that used a twist lock connection at the trailer.
> 
> Well, the worst nightmare happened. The end of the transom saver that connects to the trailer came loose and was dragging along on the pavement from the bungie around the lower unit. I was lucky that no damage was done other some some scratches in the OB paint. The connecting end of the transom saver was half gone from grinding along the pavement. I didn't care because I chucked it as soon as I got home. I have no idea how this happened.
> 
> So, I no longer use a transom saver. I now use one of the wedge style motor supports. The brand I use is M-Y Wedge. It is a lot easier to use than the transom saver.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So I take it you had nothing securing the transom saver other than the twist socket and the bungee around the motor?
> 
> I use a transom saver and also a rachet strap from the lower end to the trailer frame.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


Yep, nothing other than the twist socket and some down pressure from the PT&T. Learned my lesson and feel I got away easy.


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## LDUBS

Superlucky said:


> My last boat, a Klamath 14 came with a manual that clearly stated no transom saver was to be used.
> I just bought a new Gregor Alaskan and I emailed Gregor regarding this issue. They too said that I was not to use a transom saver and leave the motor down when towing.
> 
> Food for thought.
> 
> Best regards
> Bill



My previous boat was a 15' Klamath and my current one is a Gregor Sportsman.  I used a transom saver on the Klamath because the outboard owner's manual (Merc) said to use it. Crazy. 

Congrats on the Gregor Alaskan. Have you posted a pic yet? There is a place to do that under the "Boat House" forum.


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## eshaw

There seems to be a lot of conjecture on this subject and it's kind of interesting. Engine manufacturers state one thing and boat manufacturers state something else. Does it matter how the transom is made, be it wood, or wood sandwiched between sheets of aluminum, how thick each is, etc.. And what the engines, some use the tilt and trim, some don't, does that matter? How about when you add a motor jack to the mix, how much effect does that have on this issue? Lots to ponder here.


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## LDUBS

Keep it simple. If you have clearance, trailer with the outboard in the normal down position. If you don't have clearance, tilt the outboard up and use a transom saver (or one of the other gismos) to support it. 

I think this whole debate would go away if they were called something other than "transom savers". IMO, it is really there to support the outboard when it is tilted up. Maybe they should be called "lower unit supports" or "Skeg Savers".


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## Justaguy442

A transom saver takes zero weight off your transom, all it does is stop your engine from dropping down when its raised and stop it from bouncing which can flex your transom. A motor that down can be subjected to rocks ect bouncing off it when going down gravel roads. I hang my 15 hp straight down the transom takes no more abuse then when it's on the water. On my 115 I use a transom saver because if my motor was to drop it would hit the pavement. I'd say only time to travel with a raised motor is if you dont have the ground clearance when in the lowered position.


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## Weldorthemagnificent

I'm one of those who doesn't have the ground clearance. 16' vee hull, 35hp 2 stroke. I trailer with the motor tilted up and use a ratchet straps from the side bunks around the motor to pull it forward. This takes all the bounce out of it and has worked for me for years and hundreds of miles. 

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