Transom Saver

[Ted]

I am getting this boat.

My first.

Is the motor weight of this 50hp such that I should get a transom saver?

[img width=500 height=373]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Ted_SHRED/Lowe%20160W/Lowe16001.jpg

[img width=500 height=373]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v463/Ted_SHRED/Lowe%20160W/Lowe16004.jpg

[eulerentinc]

Ted, im not a pro but i would guess no.  I am currently in the process of buying my first new boat as well.  A stratos witha 200 HO Etec.  I asked my dealer about a transom saver as well, and he said no.  I dont know if your 50 horse has it but the 200 had its own kind of "transom saver" already on the motor.  Once you trimmed the motor all the way up it had a little bracket/bar that folded down for the weight of the motor to rest on.  I even asked him about long trips, if one (a transom saver)would be necessary and he said no.  But like i said, im no know it all, ask your dealer and hopefully you will get some more replies from here as well!!

[Bassn Blvd]

I have a transom saver that came with my boat from the dealer also.  I would think that if there was no bracket to keep the motor from bouncing while transporting it then you should get one.  I'm not a 100% on that so keep asking around.

[HPBB]

I would say yes. if the motor has to be trimmed up to drive it when on the trailer. I don't care what size motor it is. I would have a transom saver. A transom saver will cost under $50 and save the boat. Cabela's even sell a short one that is only $19.99. with the weight of that motor hanging out there puts a lot of strain on the transom.

That little bar that was talked about is just to rest the motor up to take the pressure of the trim, not for travel I don't know anybody that does not run a transom saver.

and eulerentinc I would get one for your boat too. Your going to spen that much on a new boat and not spend $50 for a transom saver? :-? I just can not see having that big motor hanging out there with nothing to support it.

[powerman970]

I just bought a new Stratos 176 with a 50 hp and my dealer gave me a transom saver with it.  That said, he explained to me that a transom saver does not actually protect the transom as much as it protects the trim cylinders.  The motor bouncing a little is not likely to damage the boat itself but plays heck with those cylinders.  Maybe he is full of crap maybe not, but while I have been fishing all my life this is my first new boat and it sure is a cheap way to keep it in good shape.

[Catt]

I would not pull any boat with out a transom saver; why take a chance  8-)

[Al Wolbach]

I would not pull any boat with out a transom saver; why take a chance 8-)

Ditto................Al

[Live.2.Fish]

Ted, I have a 17' bass tracker with a 50hp and I put a transom saver on it.  I pulled it the first time without it and when I would go over bumps the motor would bounce a little.  Now that I put it on there, that thing is like a rock.  I'm not sure if it was actually doing damage to anything when it would bounce, but I would sure cringe when I would look back there and see it bouncing.

Just my opinion.

[NBR]

A transom saver transfers the torque load of the engine when trailering from the transom of your boat to the boat trailer. When the engine is trimmed up to trailer, every bump no matter how small puts a load on the engine that trasnmits to torque on the transom. When I load my boat I run the trim down until the trailer cross member just deflects a bit.

The transom saver will also protect the trim/tilt system a bit by reducing shock pressures transmitted from the motor and bumps to the cylinders.

First, I would not trailer any boat/motor combination without a transom saver. Second, I would question the technical capabilities of any dealer who said you didn't need a transom saver.

Think about it; you have a boat/motor system worth  5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50 thousand dollars and you are not going to buy a less than $50 gadget to protect the most hight stressed area of your boat?

[cart7t]

Technically, the amount of stress an engine transmits to the transom when trailering is nothing compared to the amount of stress it transmits into the transom when you're bounding across an average busy lake on a weekend.  

Realistically speaking, if the transom can't take the bumps it's going to see from an engine going down the road, how in the world will it survive cutting across 1-2 foot waves?

[Team_Dougherty]

I agree with most of the posters here. I only have a 25HP motor on my boat and I use a transom saver. With the motor in it's towing position the torque on the transom would be a lot. For the low cost of the transom saver it is worth it. Plus, the motor is farther off of the ground than it is when I use the motor's tilt lock.

[Ted]

For 40-50 bucks I am going to get one.

Good insurance!

Thanks for all the advice.

[Way2slow]

Some swear by them, some swear against them.  Personnaly, I've seen what they can do to motors and don't use one.  I runnning a 225 Evinrude Ficht sitting on a 10" jackplate on a Javelin and have hauled it several thousand miles.  The trailering backet built into the motor is designed to properly balance the motor on the transome while trailering, the T-Saver is not.

Most of the people I see using them don't even use them properly so they are just back there doing nothing anyway.

[NBR]

When trailering the motor is trimmed way out increasing the lever arm and thus the torque on the transom. I have trailered over 4000 miles many years. Equate this to hours on the water and look at the added transom flexing.

I wonder why they named it a transom saver?

[SteveFinMD]

I don't know squat but I do use a transom saver.  I have owned two boats with outboards and they both came with them.  Why wouldn't I use it?