# Thoughts on motor breakaway plate?



## Plantation (Nov 24, 2015)

What are everyones thoughts on the cnc breakaway plate for running skinny water? I probably won't buy one due to the offset and weight added but I'm still curious. I've run aground on hard sand and its abrupt and not fun. It broke a support piece off my motor that I had to replace. The jon boat days I would have the motor kick up no issue. Are bigger motors not safe to have that option? I've heard people recommend using cable to restrict it from kicking up and over the transom. What about reversing, does it kick up too easily in reverse?


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

Plantation said:


> The jon boat days I would have the motor kick up no issue. Are bigger motors not safe to have that option?


The power tilt and trim ram is hard mounted to the motor. If not the motor would move off the ram when in reverse unless trimmed all the way down and a locking mechanism installed. Manual tilt and trim motors do not have a ram attached so when in gear they can move if the force greater than the thrust. If you bash your boat into a stump or sand bar on plane the motor will simply "tilt" up. 

We call breakaway mounts floppers.


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## Plantation (Nov 24, 2015)

Thanks. I get the concept of a power versus manual tilt and trim. And yes the jon boat had a manual tilt/trim. Im just curious about installing the CNC breakaway plate to make it tilt up if you run into bottom. Do people prefer not to have them because of reversing? I get it, I would not have it if it jumped my motor up each time I reversed.


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## yobata (Jul 14, 2015)

How fast do you need to go in reverse?? I have manual tilt on my 25hp Yamaha 2 stroke and going fast enough in reverse to kick it up is getting water over my 15" transom anyway

As to the original question, I have no experience with those additional brackets to allow the kick up of tilt and trim motors


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## BatesInTheZone (Feb 2, 2017)

I have one on my xpress duck boat, and wouldn't have one without it. I've got a Yamaha 50, and it doesn't kick up in reverse. You can adjust the tension on it.

I hit a stump going about 25, hard enough that the small cables actually snapped. I was afraid to look at my motor when I got it on the trailer but, when I did, there was absolutely zero damage. That made me a believer. I haven't bothered to fix the cables.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

I have reviewed accident cases where an outboard struck a hard object and the mount broke and the motor flipped into the boat killing an occupant. This has happened more than once. Some people even go as far as attaching a cable across the back of the boat to stop the motor if the bracket brakes. You are way better off dealing with broken motor parts from a hard impact than a spinning prop inside the boat.


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## Guest (Jun 29, 2018)

I like the thought of a break away but would opt for a jackplate instead. If I am putting the weight back there it’s a jack plate everytime!


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