Power Trim On An Outboard

[RHuff]

 New to the Boat Market here. I saw where some boats have Mercury outboards such as the 20HP EL and the 20HP ELPT. I've learned that the PT stands for power trim. That means you can trim the motor up and down on the throttle, right? What happens if there is no PT option? Do you have to raise the motor by hand or is it mounted in a permanent position? Sorry for the dumb question. Love to fish but just don't have any experience with bass boats. Trying to learn as much as possible before buying one. 

[lmoore]

Any bass boat you buy will have power trim, since those motors weigh in the hundreds of pounds.  On some smaller outboards, you may not have it (I think the biggest I've seen without it was 50HP).  Those without it will lock into place but can be raised/lowered by hand by releasing a locking lever. 

[zachb34]

On a motor that small power trim doesn't do much. It will go out over time and that's another expense besides the initial purchase price. I have a 15 HP 4 stroke and its really easy to lift by hand. The only disadvantage to not having it is you can't trim it up once you get on plane like some of the bigger boats do to get more top end.

[rippin-lips]

On my old tin boat my Evinrude 40 didn't have it. It was easy to lift/lower by myself. I don't see it as a needed feature on a 20hp but it wouldn't hurt either. Now my trim motor is currently out on my Evinrude 150 and it requires two people to get it done. It'll be rebuilt/replaced before spring. I'm dying without it. It's a heavy sob.

[Way2slow]

My 4HP, Merc, 9.9 Johnson, and 25HP Merc don't have it. All my larger motors do and I wouldn't have one without it. If I ever bought a new 25, even with it being tiller steering, it would have it. No the small 4 and 9.9 don't need it, but that about as large as I want to go without it. My arrs has done gotten old and pulling on them things to lift them sucks now.

[Catt]

Power tilt & trim does more the raise & lower your motor. Lower your motor for hole shot & raise it to smooth out rough water.

I've owned 25 hp motors where I added it & my new Tohatsu 40 hp 4 stroke is way to heavy not to have it.

[RHuff]

Would you guys recommend it on a Tracker Pro 160 with 20 or 40 HP??

[Catt]

Would you guys recommend it on a Tracker Pro 160 with 20 or 40 HP??

40 hp

[Way2slow]

Definitely NOT a 20. That would be way to small. I run my 25 on my 1436 Lowe on some of the rivers and larger lake areas.

It's looking like you are eyeballing one of BPS's grossly under powered Riggs they are good at dumping on people because with that little motor they can make it look like a great deal "on paper" but it's a total dog on the water.

Get the 40 with PT&T. Yes it's a right smart more but at least it will make, making those payments for the next half of your life a little better. If you fall for their finance plans they get you into.

[Catch and Grease]

We have a 45 HP engine on our ranger boat that doesn't have PT and that thing is heavy as mess!

[RHuff]

I always thought all outboards except tillers had power tilt and trim. Shows how much I know.

[jhoffman]

Not even all have power trim, some its simply power tilt. My last boat had power tilt, good for nothing more than lifting you couldnt trim it under power.