trailering your boat

[Guest]

This will be my second year of boat ownership, and I was wondering if I could get some expert advise on trailering the boat. My question is: when pulling the rig, do you have the motor up and in the locked postion(tilted up then flip that little "L" shaped bar down, then tilt the motor down) or should you leave the motor in the down postion. Motor is a short shafted 70hp. I've heard it done both ways, and I'm just not sure.

[Surface Tension]

I always leave my motors up. Dont like the skeg dragging on the ground. A transom saver would be better way to trailer. I dont like the type that go from the trailer to the motor because if the boat bounces on the trialer at all it will be jammin on the transom. I like the type that go from the loewer unit to the boat plug.

[This message has been edited by Surface Tension (edited 07-05-2003).]

[Fisher Dave]

Its best to have them up if theres any chance of hitting the skeg (driveways, etc) it always seems to find a way to happen eventually if you leave it down.

On a motor that large, if you dont have power tilt your best picking up a transom saver or similar product (bar that runs from trailer to lower unit) to assist holding the motor tilted, and obviously saves on your transom also. The weight of that motor in time on bumpy roads (arent they all?) will eventually shear the pin on the *L* shaped lever for holding it tilted and the motor will come down while your on the road. I have had that happen on a couple motors... best to use something like a transom saver before it happens.(providing you dont have power tilt)

[Mueske]

Aldar,
My 140 hp Evinrude was not lowering itself yesterday, so I drove home from the (nearby) lake, where it worked fine. I added some fluid and went back to fish. My motor now works fine but I caught only a little rainbow. Now I now more about the motor at least. Good luck. Speaking of the transom savers that mount to the boat, where would one find one of these? I had one of the other style from Cabela's but it wouldn't fit my EZ Loader. Thanks in advance.

Kevin

[Guest]

the motor does have power tilt, but I think it needs a rebuild. It will tilt it up just fine, but it will slowly lower itself down. That is why I've been trailering it in the up and locked postion.
thanks for the quick advise guys

[Lunker]

Transom savors is where to go. Our transom got slighlty cracked on our cajun becase of it being transported with no saver. Cabelas probably has them, but we got ours at G.M. It adjusts lengths to fit any boat.

[Chris Haley]

If your motor is slowly lowering, it could be that your manual release valve has loosened up on you also. Look on the unit for a thumb knob and give it a turn and see if it is loose. This is so if you have problems with your tilt and trim you can take the pressure off to lift it manually.

[Chris Haley]

Also I firmly believe in transom savers. If you don't get the kind that goes to the trailer, you're not saving your transom you're only saving your power trim. If you are worried about the boat jumping on the trailer, get a set of straps for the back and strap it down. Check your motor to see if you can raise it by hand when it's down, if you are by yourself and can do this you should be able to put it on yourself.

[Guest]

thanks for the advise everyone. this answered alot of the questions I had. I wanted to take the boat on a longer trip, but I was a little hesitant to do so. It is an older boat an you never know what might happen.

[Guest]

I checked the prices on those transom savers and they seem reasonable enough that I'll most likely get one. One question I have on them is, can you put one on when your alone? I don't have a tilt switch on the motor, only on the dash.