# Manual-tilt outboard trailering with transom saver or none?



## emoney (May 29, 2020)

No reason not to use a transom saver imho. The clearance question is really related to tow vehicle, current trailer setup, etc. It's not worth the risk trailering it in the down position. Never know when that pothole is going to pop up on you while you're doing 60 mph.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

I wish I would have taken a measurement on my old BT. I didn't have much clearance and never had a problem. I would slow way down on inclines like in and out of some parking lots but never scrape. Part of your decision needs to be dependent on where the rear cross member is on the trailer and how low it is. Mine was very low and pretty much at the rear of the boat, so it would probably hit before the motor.

If you have enough clearance I would trailer with the motor straight down, unlocked and put some strong bungees on it to keep it from bouncing.

The Spear in my profile pic is indicative of how I towed it, but it was short shaft and had a jack plate.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

I have been using the M-Y Wedge universal saver for several years now. It's easy to lock on and provides plenty of support for the engine while trailering. I also used the clips for the hydraulic steering rods to keep the engine centered. Very durable construction and reasonably priced.

http://www.m-ywedge.com/products.html


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

A manual tilt OB should be locked to the tilt pin placed in the highest tilt position when trailering. Or use some type of ratchet strap to hold the lower unit down against the transom saver v.


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## Shallows (Mar 29, 2020)

Sublime said:


> I wish I would have taken a measurement on my old BT. I didn't have much clearance and never had a problem. I would slow way down on inclines like in and out of some parking lots but never scrape. Part of your decision needs to be dependent on where the rear cross member is on the trailer and how low it is. Mine was very low and pretty much at the rear of the boat, so it would probably hit before the motor.
> 
> The Spear in my profile pic is indicative of how I towed it, but it was short shaft and had a jack plate.


Your skeg actually looks like it rode pretty low - considering you had a tunnel hull and jack plate, but I can see you had your bunk bolsters adjusted really low - must have launched so easy that low though, would be great - very nice setup.

My axle is placed similar to yours, skeg is 11" from ground and I've been trailering no problem (though I don't stop at gas stations), trailer bolsters are jacked way up for that clearance - would like to be able to launch without backing up quite so far - so gonna lower to where skeg has about 9.5" clearance - hopefully it will be good - we'll see...


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## Tim Wilson (Dec 22, 2016)

Here is some good information

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


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

If I tilt down my skew will hit the ground. Tip it up and use the trailer in pin and go.


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## Gogittum (May 24, 2020)

Some years ago I had a 15 ft Gregor tin boat with 30 hp Honda 4 stroke - brand new. I took off on a round-the-continent trip from SoCal (14,000 miles in 9 weeks) soon after buying it in 2003 and just tilted the motor up and used the locking pin to hold it up. There was nothing at the rear of the trailer to brace a transom saver against.

I got as far as Michigan's UP and the locking pin sheared off. Every light trailer I've owned had springs far too heavy for the load the trailer was designed to carry. Now I take leaves out of them till there's some give - usually right down to the main spring leaf. I finally - with the help of a campground owner - whittled a chunk of wood to wedge in there to hold the motor up and tied it in place with a ratchet strap.

My next boat was a heavy 16 ft and I found a drop axle trailer for it that only had about 6" clearance under the rear cross-member. It was a joy to launch the boat off on shallow ramps and I rarely had problems with it dragging, except, as noted previously, in steep driveways off main roads.


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