Transom saver

[DB Cooper]

I bought a 2009 sylvan pontoon last summer and now this summer will be taking it on our family vacation. It's a 4 hour trip there and I was wondering what you guys thought about a transom saver...it didn't come with one and doesn't really look like there is a place on the trailer where it would sit...is it necessary or is it safe enough to travel that far with the motor in the down position...oh yeah I forgot to say it only has a 90 hp on it

[Mucho Gusto]

Lots of different opinions on this subject. I've always thought that the main determining factor was ground clearance. Typically, pontoon boats sit high enough to where its not an issue. I've always trailered in the vertical position. Again, opinions but not many facts on this topic.

[killerkernrich]

I don`t use one its a 60hp

[Capt Sully]

I don't use one, buy I do tilt it up to the first click.

[ROLAND]

like mucho gusto said, a lot of varying opinions on this topic.. having said that I can tell you I haven't used one, but I only trailer about 10 miles each way... it's my understanding that as long as you have plenty of road clearance, they're not required... took the following right out of the Yamaha owners manual...


"If the outboard motor
cannot be trailered in the normal running
position, use an additional support
device to secure it in the tilt position."

[rancherlee]

I'll mirror that Yamaha owners manual. If the motor needs to be tilted for clearance then I use one. That said, many pontoon trailers don't come with a good place to use one but a roller and bracket for a regular boat trailer is pretty easy to find and bolt on the rear cross member of the trailer.

[vlxerdon]

I bought a 2009 sylvan pontoon last summer and now this summer will be taking it on our family vacation. It's a 4 hour trip there and I was wondering what you guys thought about a transom saver...it didn't come with one and doesn't really look like there is a place on the trailer where it would sit...is it necessary or is it safe enough to travel that far with the motor in the down position...oh yeah I forgot to say it only has a 90 hp on it

I pulled mine from Pa. to Ga. with the motor in the full down position. Toon is a 20 footer with a 90 Johnson on the back. I was no more than 5 miles from the interstate on either end,so smooth road all the way. Oh yea,it was a 13 hour straight through trip.
Hope this helps.

[TDJ2591]

DB Cooper? Where have you been since 1971? Or, do you just have a famous name?

I have plenty of ground clearance and leave my motor in the down position. When I had my bass boat, I used a transom saver primarily for road clearance.

[DB Cooper]

I do have plenty of clearance and it looks like the consensus here is in the vertical position should be fine..I appreciate your opinions...most of the time it's only one mile to launch but once a year we go on a vacation and it takes four hours to get there so the longer trip is what I was worried about..oh and by the way I prefer to keep my real location a secret!!! Gotta spend my money!!