Newb To Modern Bass Boats, Question Regarding Trim/tilt

[tomustang]

That's not true, transom savors do nothing to save the transom. Nothing on the market will relieve any pressure from the transom, after all your engine/jackplate is bolted to it.

The key is to reduce the flex in all the moving parts like steering and tilt trim system and stop extra wear on bushings/seals etc.

What do you think is worse Luckygia? Running 60mph in waves or bouncing on a trailer with a suspension?

[Way2slow]

Transom savers can damage lower units/mid sections and basically do little to save the transom. However because someone picked a great name to call it, most think it's a must have. Because of that, motor companies use that to save a few bucks and quit putting the trailering supports on their motors so you are stuck using one because I would not trust the hydraulics to hold it up.

[(='_'=)]

well, Yamaha endorses the use of either a transom saver or a motor rest:

 

 

Ideally, we could trailer a boat with the outboard trimmed down, but this is impossible because the skeg would drag on the pavement and break off.

The solution is to trim up the outboard and secure it in place with a device generically called a “transom support”. A transom support reduces the outboard’s lever/bouncing effect to the point where it’s negligible.
There are several brands of transom supports on the market. Most consist of an adjustable bar that attaches to the trailer on one end and to the outboard’s gearcase on the other end.

Another approach is a composite tube, such as the Yamaha Outboard Trailering Support, that clips over the outboard’s trim rod (or ram) with the engine trimmed up. Insert the tube over the trim rod, and then trim the unit down until the weight of the outboard is on the tube.

Either product works well to keep the outboard in place during transit, as long as you use the transom support properly.

 

 

 

http://yamahaoutboards.com/yamaha-advantage/news/boating-tips/boaters-log-vol-3-no20-bounce-beaters-save-your-transom

 

i also found this article, and it mentions this:

 

Mercury, for example, recommends trailering with the motor in the full vertical position, and no additional support is required. If this is not possible due to limited ground clearance, additional support is recommended. Newer Evinrudes, on the other hand, have a built-in spring-loaded support that completely eliminates the need for an aftermarket product. One universal word of caution is that the outboard's tilt bracket is designed to support the motor during maintenance or storage only and should never be used when trailering.

 

 

 

then, referring to transom savers, it says:

 

 

 

Still, as inexpensive as they are, they're cheap insurance. Better to have one and not need it than to need it and not have it, right? Or do they do more harm than good as the detractors allege? I was actually surprised at the amount of negative feedback I found. The most prevalent argument against them centers on the fact that a transom saver transfers the weight and energy from an area that is designed to handle it (the transom) to an area that is not (the trailer). Additionally, while the boat and motor move together, the boat and trailer move independently from each other, causing road vibrations to be transferred back to the outdrive where they can potentially cause even more damage.

 

so now i really dont know... it sayd the tilt bracket should notbe used for trailering, and then it says the transom saver can also damage the motor....

 

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

 

as of right now, i know the transom saver i have puts the motor in a very risky position, as i will definitely hit the skeg sooner rather tan later... so next time i tow the boat ill try the motor rest and see how i like it... i think it will be high enough, so i may even ask my friend to drive behind me and see how mucho movement the motor has...

[tomustang]

 

Have you pulled the pin on your transom saver and checked if it can extend longer?

[Way2slow]

As mentioned, it looks like that one should extend out longer by pulling the pin and sliding it out.

If the motor does not have a motor rest that strong enough and built for trailering, then you have not option but to use some type of support or other device to support the motor.

Here's my problem with many transom saver type supports. Most are a basically a solid bar that's between the lower unit and the boat trailer. The last one I had said to tilt the motor up, put it in place and trim the motor down on it until the trim piston were retracted. Now, when going down a smooth paved road, no problem, but when going over dirt roads, railroad tracks or something that causes and abrupt change in the surface, that boat is generally going to move up and down some on that trailer, I don't care how tight you have your tie down straps. When it does, that movement is being driven directly into the lower unit. If it's strapped down extremely tight, it can actually break the lower unit off the motor, I've seen this happen and heard of it happening many times.

After a friend of mine tore his lower unit off years ago with one, I tossed mine. Now for the name transom saver, if there is enough force being generated that can actually break the lower unit, how much force do you think is being generated against that transom the bar is suppose to be saving?

I have seen some that were spring loaded, but have never researched how they install, but if they install so it's floating on the spring, and not forced all the way down, then I might could see using one of those.

If my motors did not have the supports built in, and if I used anything, it would be a sleeve or device that goes around the tilt rod and lets the motor sit in a balanced position on it, it would not connect the motor to the boat trailer in a solid fashion.

[(='_'=)]

i have not tried extending the transom saver, but that could be a option...

 

however, as you mention, if its risky, i would prefer not to use it.... i see most of the people use one, and i used one on my previous boat, i even strapped the motor down to the trailer with a small ratched strap to hold it down against the saver (no trim/tilt system), but now since my motor has the other support, ill try using it and see how i like it...

 

thanx!!

[(='_'=)]

i have been reading about the small fin above the prop (i have seen it as torque tab or trim tab), and, as i understand, the rear part of the fin should be slightly to the right... this way, when the motor wants to turn to the right by tself, the tab will keep it in place due to the water hitting it....... did i understand correctly??

 

so, mine is slightly to the left as seen in the picture... i plan on moving it a couple degrees to the right and see if it helps correct the hard right turn....

[Way2slow]

Go ahead and turn it all the way to the right to start with and see if that helps. About the only time that has any affect on one is when it's trimmed out properly and on full plane.

I keep looking at how much curve that hydrofoil has and that thing has to be dragging the water when on plane. I would take that off and see how it does. Your hole shot is going to suffer because they do help that, but that one looks awful low and with the amount of curve it has, it has to be creating a whole lot of drag.

That one looks Similar to the SE Sport 300, which is the one I prefer, but I didn't think they came with that much curve. I cut a lot of the side wings off mine but don't think it has any where near that much curve and down in the water that much.

[(='_'=)]

Go ahead and turn it all the way to the right to start with and see if that helps. About the only time that has any affect on one is when it's trimmed out properly and on full plane.

I keep looking at how much curve that hydrofoil has and that thing has to be dragging the water when on plane. I would take that off and see how it does. Your hole shot is going to suffer because they do help that, but that one looks awful low and with the amount of curve it has, it has to be creating a whole lot of drag.

That one looks Similar to the SE Sport 300, which is the one I prefer, but I didn't think they came with that much curve. I cut a lot of the side wings off mine but don't think it has any where near that much curve and down in the water that much.

 

well, i turned it t the right, not all the way, but some degrees, and it did help a lot... i tried to trim it until it began purpoising and then trim down a bit, but i never got it to porpoise like before, maybe because there were 3 of us in the boat, i dont know... however, i noticed the steering was straight, i could let go of the wheel without a problem, and we reached 40 MPH without a problem and without pushing it too much, i could have stepped on the pedal a little bit more... so far im liking it, ill see tomorrow how it handles...

 

and regarding the hydrofoil, the previous owner told me he had a hard time controlling the boat at full speed without it, thats why he had to add it... maybe because the torque tab was placed to the other side?? i dont know... i dont loose anything if i try removing it and see how i like it, but, the onwer told me he did have to add it to make it easier to maneuver...

[WIGuide]

Depending on seating position, 40 mph seems really slow. It makes me think W2S is right about your fin dragging. Even with 3 people in the boat you should be in the mid to upper 40's I'd think. Also, with a stainless prop on a bass boat you can usually trim it all the way out running up towards WOT without it porpoising as long as you don't have a lead brick on the bow. Not that that's how you're going to get your best speed necessarily, but it really shouldn't be bouncing all that much. Maybe it's just me, but it just seems like something is off there.

 

As for the transom saver issue. I'd extend yours as it should go out further than that. When you put it on don't trim it down so far that the pistons start to retract. Just trim it down enough that it takes the play out of the system. The weight will be split between the hydraulics and transom saver. It shouldn't be delivering as much of a jarring force over bumps and rubber isolators should help to not deliver any unhealthy vibrations to the motor.  

[(='_'=)]

Depending on seating position, 40 mph seems really slow. It makes me think W2S is right about your fin dragging. Even with 3 people in the boat you should be in the mid to upper 40's I'd think. Also, with a stainless prop on a bass boat you can usually trim it all the way out running up towards WOT without it porpoising as long as you don't have a lead brick on the bow. Not that that's how you're going to get your best speed necessarily, but it really shouldn't be bouncing all that much. Maybe it's just me, but it just seems like something is off there.

 

As for the transom saver issue. I'd extend yours as it should go out further than that. When you put it on don't trim it down so far that the pistons start to retract. Just trim it down enough that it takes the play out of the system. The weight will be split between the hydraulics and transom saver. It shouldn't be delivering as much of a jarring force over bumps and rubber isolators should help to not deliver any unhealthy vibrations to the motor.  

 

we went at 40 mph but we werent trying to reach max speed, and the third one was sitting in front of the console... during the test ride with the 3 of us in the back, the previous owner reached 48.... so im almost sure with 2 of us we will reach 50 no problem...

 

and regarding the transom saver, i tried using the motor bracket, but the lower unit hanged just as low as it did with the transom saver in the shortes position... so i extended it a couple of holes and now the motor sits at an acceptable height....