# Outboard Locked Down vs. Unlocked when running?



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

In shallow waters I typically unlock mine, I've hit stuff hard enough to toss the motor all the way back up into the full tilt position. It didn't cause much damage, but could have cost me a skeg or prop otherwise.


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## mmjamp (Jul 3, 2011)

Unlocked position if you hit something you’re not going to do as much damage.


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## MATT (Apr 30, 2007)

unlocked is how i run. backing around at the ramp is no problem if you take your time.


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## Rooster (Mar 13, 2011)

Pretty much what I figured, but the value of the Forum is to ask and sometimes find something that you have completely not considered - thanks!


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## noeettica (Sep 23, 2007)

I run forward un locked you will see the motor hop over a tree in the beginning of the clip ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuo216WYI-0


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## Frank_Sebastian (Oct 15, 2007)

Rooster try this experiment. With your boat on the trailer and the engine locked down, give a good hard pull on the lower unit ahead of the prop. Please let us know what happens.

Best regards,
Frank_S


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## JaxLaxFish (Aug 23, 2010)

Definitely unlocked. If you run shallow it will no doubt save you a lower unit. Also I don't know what your setup is like but personally if I need to back up quickly I just use my left arm to hold the motor down while I steer with my right hand.


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## jbedul (Jul 5, 2010)

Even "locked" down, every motor I've ever owned would release and kick up on an impact...What am I missing here??? :-?


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## OviedoAV (Oct 12, 2010)

I keep the pin out of mine and unlocked. Have had it fly up to many times hitting stuff not to do this!


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## [email protected] (Jun 23, 2011)

> Even "locked" down, every motor I've ever owned would release and kick up on an impact...What am I missing here???  :-?


Thats what I thought and thats what mine does .... :-/


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## Frank_Sebastian (Oct 15, 2007)

Bud and Railroader have it right. Take a look at the bracket design. The engine is made to be run in the locked position. If it strikes a solid object it is meant to "break away" and perhaps catch the shallow running position. If not locked down it can flip up and crash down grabbing the water and slamming very hard against the transom. The geometry of the bracket and springs help protect against this.

Best regards,
Frank_S


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## Rooster (Mar 13, 2011)

Hey Frank - this must have been what you were driving at in your earlier post. I have not had a chance to pull up on mine in the locked position to see what it does. Especially since reading all of these posts, I am going to try that and hope that is what I find...


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## Rooster (Mar 13, 2011)

I got out in the driveway today as Frank suggested and gave the lower unit (while in locked position) a few good hard pulls, and it stayed right where it was - no popping up upon simulated impact. As I can recall, I have also hit a few oyster rakes, and logs at low speed and the motor has not popped up. So guys while I see that you feel that the motor _should_ pop up upon impact, I don't thing that mime (a 2010 Honda 15) does... Sooo, what I guess what I will do is run in the unlocked "tilt" position, as I don't want to damage my lower unit if I hit something at any speed. In the tilt position, Honda has a 30 degree and 45 degree shallow water running position. I guess that if I did hit something and the motor tilted it would come back down in either of those positions and prevent slamming back down on the transom (?). Any other input or observations is appreciated!


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