Towing boat / trailer /motor

[kinwahkly]

We have a 14 foot Lund SSV Aluminum boat on a shorlander trailer with a Honda 2o hp 4 stoke on the back. question when towing boat do we recommend to leave motor in down position or bring it up on tilt?

[graybeard]

I tow my unit with the leg down and lock up the transmission into reverse. One reason is, for less bouncing around and the second reason, the motor water is a gravity system.
The only down side I see is that the prop and bottom leg will eventually see some road debris marking.

You will get an assortment of replies for either way.

Here is another site...

https://www.google.ca/search?source=hp&ei=cBQbX-HjMdff-gSbnI-AAw&q=towing+a+boat%2C+motor+up+or+down%3F&oq=towing+a+boat%2C+motor+up+or+down%3F&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBggAEBY QHjIGCAAQFhAeOggIABCxAxCDAToICC4QsQMQgwE6BQgAELEDO g4ILhCxAxDHARCjAhCDAToLCC4QsQMQxwEQowI6CwguELEDEMc BEK8BOg4ILhCxAxDHARCvARCTAjoICC4QxwEQrwE6AgguOgUIL hCxAzoCCAA6CAgAEBYQChAeUK4aWJ-EAWC7hwFoAHAAeACAAXaIAYQTkgEEMzEuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3c y13aXo&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwjh25mlr-bqAhXXr54KHRvOAzAQ4dUDCAg&uact=5

[dodger]

I tow my 14’ Alumacraft with the motor up on a transom support. Going on 18 years with no problems.

Dodger.

[58thecat]

I got mine somewhat up but strap it to prevent bounce...went to Besnard lake a few years ago and the leg down got sandblasted so I keep it out of the debris line of fire now...transom saver if it get the leg up would be the way to go though.....but the ratchet strap works fine too.

[Fishwhere]

When i had a tiller i had a transom saver support. I think thats the way to go as it takes a good amount of the weight off of the boat frame

[EZM]

I'd lower the motor, strap it to the boat to stop it from moving too much and go. The SSV is a strong solid transom and the 20hp Honda are light (like 103lbs).

I have never liked the idea of having a transom support tied to a motor.

You have bumps, twists and jolting coming thought the trailer, onto the boat, to the transom then the motor. Add the same thing happening, potentially a fraction of a second apart coming up from the trailer directly to the motor, and potentially at a different direction or frequency of energy transmission.

The fastest way to fatigue something or break it is twist and jolt it in opposite directions.

Just a personal theory based on what I think ……. maybe I'm overthinking it.

I have never seen an issue with a motor destroying or damaging a transom, but I have seen issues caused by transom supports.

[Poppa]

I've got a 14' Lund Rebel Adventure Series with a 25hp Evinrude on the back, and I always travel with it in down/locked position to prevent the bouncing. It's too hard on the pin otherwise. No trouble (that I know of) so far...

[EZM]

I use MY WEDGE which is required on my boat as the skeg, when in the lowered position, is just about touching the pavement, so my big 150hp needs to be tilted up.

There is a metal clip on the motor, but I use this to match that angle and it has a built in dampening device which absorbs a little shock but keeps the weight on the transom as designed.

Cheap, easy insurance as far as I'm concerned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=19&v=uWURX7fUXvs&feature=emb_logo

[OL_JR]

On my 16' boat I have a transom saver and haven't had any issues. I like it, doesn't seem to give me any issues and the motor stays propped up at around 40 -45 degrees roughly which seems to keep the road rash off.

The unit EZM posted would be good as well if you are worried about being anchored to the trailer.

On my 14' I usually just pull the motor off and haul it in the truck bed but these are older lighter 15 and 20 hp two strokes or an electric depending on the lake I'm fishing and the boat load. Not going to be everyone's cup of tea but the motor and prop stay in fantastic shape.

I've never liked the idea of having them pinned down upright. Just seems like to much opportunity to introduce imperfections in the prop via road debris and it doesn't take much for a prop to lose it's efficiency. A dinged up prop also introduces off balance vibrations that you may not even feel but is going to do damage to your motors lower end seals and it just gets worse from there depending on the severity.