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Trailering - motor up or down?
heimtun	#1  Posted on 07/07/16 - 12:29 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 97 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/03/16	Thoughts? Also, what's a good clearance from bottom of motor to ground when trailering the boat? 1962 Sakonnet - 60 hp Merc TIA Wayne
Phil T	#2  Posted on 07/07/16 - 1:48 PM
Administrator Personal Page Personal Album Project Albums Posts: 6986 Comments: 6 Joined: 03/26/05	For totally flat roads, at least a foot of clearance. Keep in mind there can be steep curb cuts. You are bound to hit one or two. Just take them slowly.
heimtun	#3  Posted on 07/07/16 - 5:15 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 97 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/03/16	Thanks.
EJO	#4  Posted on 07/08/16 - 10:11 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 669 Comments: 6 Joined: 11/25/12	My BW owners manual says up (60 HP Merc) but I feel that could still be a lot of stress on the transom. Riding down will be to close to the pavement. For that reason I use a "transom saver/motor support" readily available at any chandelier or sports store and this will keep my motor 18" or more of the ground. Skipper E-J m/v "Clumsy Cleat" a 2008 Montauk 150
heimtun	#5  Posted on 07/10/16 - 1:18 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 97 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/03/16	Thanks.
Finnegan	#6  Posted on 07/11/16 - 9:17 PM
Member Posts: 1925 Comments: 16 Joined: 05/02/08	In my opinion, if you need ground clearance for your lower unit, the M-Y Wedge is the best solution you can find. I use one on my 1979 Montauk with 115 Merc, and on my Outrage 19 with 150 Merc. They make them for all brands and engine sizes. http://www.m-ywedge.com/index.htmlindex.html Never trail any outboard fully trimed up without support.
hc803	#7  Posted on 07/12/16 - 8:00 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 100 Comments: 0 Joined: 10/04/05	Second on the M-Y Wedge.
heimtun	#8  Posted on 07/13/16 - 6:12 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 97 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/03/16	Thanks for the info on M-Y Wedge... Their website talks about modern boats with strong transoms... My boat is a 1962 - I don't think I'd trust its transom is that strong.
hc803	#9  Posted on 07/13/16 - 8:45 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 100 Comments: 0 Joined: 10/04/05	heimtun wrote: Thanks for the info on M-Y Wedge... Their website talks about modern boats with strong transoms... My boat is a 1962 - I don't think I'd trust its transom is that strong. If that's the case, you should worry about running your boat in the water more than trailering.
heimtun	#10  Posted on 07/13/16 - 9:28 AM
Member Personal Page Posts: 97 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/03/16	hc803 wrote: heimtun wrote: Thanks for the info on M-Y Wedge... Their website talks about modern boats with strong transoms... My boat is a 1962 - I don't think I'd trust its transom is that strong. If that's the case, you should worry about running your boat in the water more than trailering. Thanks - that's comforting.
hc803	#11  Posted on 07/13/16 - 1:11 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 100 Comments: 0 Joined: 10/04/05	Thanks - that's comforting. Wasn't really meant as a jab, just if you're worried about the transom supporting a motor that it normally would have no trouble with, you're likely to encounter issues when the entire outboard is hanging off the back (underway) as opposed to when you'd have it tilted up and a lot of the weight would be centered above the transom. Unless you're suspecting real structural issues, even a Sakonnet that old should be more than capable of carrying the weight of a 60. The M-Y Wedge or any similar trailering "helper" would actually alleviate some of the shocks that your transom would be subject to while you tow it. Also, you'd be avoiding the chance that your tilt piston loses pressure and the entire motor comes crashing down, which I have had happen to me. It was the reason I purchased the M-Y Wedge, actually. Edited by hc803 on 07/13/16 - 1:12 PM
heimtun	#12  Posted on 07/13/16 - 4:58 PM
Member Personal Page Posts: 97 Comments: 0 Joined: 06/03/16	Thanks for the clarification - my concerns were based on the vendors website where they talk about recently manufactured boats "Thanks to advances in boat-building technology over the last decade, modern transoms are created to withstand torque."