Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Just noticed a pic with what I call a "Transom Saver" or it might be called a Motor Support, depending on the locale, on a toon.

Something like this:
http://shoreline-marinedevelopment.com/ ... rstyle.jpg

I was told that it wasn't necessary on a toon.

What say you all?

When I had a 90, I was told by the manufacturer it wasn't necessary, when I got a 200, I was told to use the one by the manufactuer. These were 2 different manufacturers, but I'm guessing it may be related to motor weight? I don't see how it could hurt.

I don't see how it could hurt to have one. Some pontoon trailers aren't set up very well for transom savers so you may have to do a bit of "rigging". I was going to add one, but we don't trailer anymore since we have a dock with a lift.

I use one on my bass boat when I trailer it, but I'm trying to remember if the toon had one when they delivered it. I didn't buy the trailer.

if i had a big motor bouncing off my transom like the 175 on my runabout, i would definitely have one, the new toon has an i/o so just the outdrive to worry about.

we have used them on all of outboards

i use one on my 115.

Mine came with one. I don't use it for the couple miles run to the ramp, but for any distance I'll rig it up.

Aluminum is a soft metal and 400 lbs bouncing on it a lot will ultimately cause metal fatigue and damage.

If there's an outboard hanging on a transom it would seem the need for a transom saver would be the same no matter what kind of boat you have.

Glenn

I have one.

i don't use one on my 115...

I'm certainly not an expert in this, and not a physicist, but here's my two cents...

the weight of the motor will be on the transom, bouncing around, regardless of absence or presence of transom saver device...

isn't the transom saver's role, to support weight, and reduce bounce, when motor is trailered at an angle? i just don't see how it would be much use when motor is trailered in vertical position....

My trailer sits real low with the torsion axel. If I didn't tilt my motor I would really have to watch the pitch of entrance and exits at gas stations etc. trailering is the hardest thing that a boat goes through. I see a lot of guys just tilt their motors and the hydrolics on the tilt are just getting pounded. That's the reason I use one when tilting. I messed my transom up a couple years ago on a 3.5 hour drive north to indian river here in mi. I cracked a weld and filled my center log with water while docked over night. I now use a 3" ratchet strap right over my center log along with the transom saver. It is amazing how much a boat can flex and move traveling at highway speeds. What feels well tied down while stopped can end up moving on the roads we get to deal with here in mi. L.O.L.

I can't remember if it was an article or a posting I read, that advocated against fixing the lower unit of an outboard to the trailer for support.

Their reasoning being, forces from the road passed through the trailer, then to the lower unit. This stress from the opposite direction was transferred through the engine to the transom. Forces were applied to the transom, just from a different direction. Hit a big pot hole, and your lower unit could take a big hit.

I've got the height, so I keep my 150 and it's 649 pounds upright.

Now if your trailer is low to the ground requiring the engine to be tilted, I could understand a need for additional support.

The owner's manual on my Evinrude 70hp 4-stroke says to use one. I can't trailor with the motor down because of height issues. However, the boat is 14 years old and has never had a transom saver used on it and the transom is as sound as it was on day one. I do plan on getting one though. The previous owner, my father-in-law, had to go about a mile to launch it so it wasn't really an issue. I pulled it 8 hours to get it to my house and have visited lakes over an hour from home. Better safe than sorry!

Cheers,

Tony

Why to use one? To prevent this! This is my Premier's transom. Been there, done that. Not going through it again. Its on every time, close trips to the river and long trips to the Lake. Its on more than its off!
If you want this? Don't use one.

I've thought about getting these since I do tow in the tilted position

http://www.amazon.com/T-H-Motor-Support ... B001F0IJQ6

http://www.thmarine.com/userfiles/image ... -1-500.jpg