# 5101: transom saver yes / no ? 2/19/01 6:57:00 PM -- Trailers and Towing

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SUBJECT: # 5101: transom saver yes / no ?

Submitted by sean (64.12.102.33) from CONNECTICUT on 2/19/2001 6:57:00 PM

our dealer says that for OMC motors we should not use a transom saver. only the bracket that is on the motor. What has your experience been ?

2/19/2001 8:34:00 PM Submitted by McCoy from TENNESSEE says Transom savers
I bought a OMC boat package in 1992 that came with a transom saver. Go figure.
I use one sometimes and sometimes I don't. If the transom is strong enough to hold a motor at full throttle from a standstill, then it's probably strong enough to hold a motor when riding on a trailer.
2/19/2001 9:13:00 PM Submitted by Lee (199.174.53.54) from TEXAS says YES! Why does this continue to even be a question?
Use the motor toter.
2/19/2001 9:32:00 PM Submitted by JB from MASSACHUSETTS says i agree with lee
i dont know why this even keeps coming up. just run one
2/19/2001 9:33:00 PM Submitted by Just wunder'n (207.17.229.45) from OKLAHOMA says yup, no-brainer
The transom take a beating with road vibration.... and lets face it ----> your boat doesn't ride on the trailer like it's in the water.
Warmer days to ya
2/20/2001 10:17:00 AM Submitted by Hawkeye1 from VIRGINIA says Ride in your boat when its trailing one time.
You boat ride much better on the trailer then on the water unless its glass smooth. When you are jumping from wave to wave and the motor wrenching on the transom it has 10x the force than ridding down the road tilted up. Motor toter is a money maker not a transom saver.
2/20/2001 10:29:00 AM Submitted by Hawkeye1 from VIRGINIA says Another Thing
If your boats needs a transom saver it aint worth a damn to start with. My dad has a 1965 thunderbird with a 115 merc, never had a transom saver and towed many miles over the years. Not one stress crack anywhere on the transom. None of our other 3 boats ever had transom savers used and non had any transome problems either. If you need a transom saver then you need another boat.
2/20/2001 12:49:00 PM Submitted by Phill (136.200.212.33) from CALIFORNIA says Ever hit a pothole or dip in the road?
Trailers don't have shock absorbers on them. Wish they did. I've seen boat trailers bounce pretty good on the freeways, dirt roads, etc. and it makes me cringe. 300-400+# is ALOT of weight back there. Stresses are hardest when the center of gravity is offset from directly over the transom. Mutiply the weight by the offset and you have a moment that creates torsion on the ends of the stern. The effect is similar to peeling a sardine can, or ripping a phone book in half. Most of the stress is concetrated at the top. That's what transom savers are for, to reduce those stresses on the ends of the stern and redirect (spread) them toward the frame of the trailer. For peace of mind, I use 'em, for both the big motor and kicker. As an engineer (civil/structural), I can appreciate these things.
2/20/2001 1:43:00 PM Submitted by Hawkeye1 from VIRGINIA says How about the leverage from the prop twisting???
What about the the leverage of the lenght of the shaft when the engine is running WOT? Same thing as using a crobar to pry something apart. In this case its a 470 lb engine trying to pry itself off the transom with over 2000 lbs of thrust pushing on it. When trailering the engine needs to be stationary. Not floping around. If the engine up bracket holds it firm then thats all it should need. If it has play in it then it would be better off trimed down to about where it would be if you had a transom saver hooked to it. There you will have enough weight to keep it from bouncing. I trim mine up about 1/2 to 2/3 way up. Pleanty of weight to hold it down. We travel 360 miles one way all the time. We take 2 trucks and yacking the whole time on the cb back and forth. The report is always everything riding great. Engine is rock steady. Get this, the 470lb engine is on a 29" long SS bracket bolted to the transom. Talk about leverage!! If the transom is built right to start with you wont have any problems. It seems to me its a bass boat thing because I never see any saltwater fishing boat with transom savers. But 95% of the bass boats have them. Why is that??
2/20/2001 3:55:00 PM Submitted by Corey (152.2.71.144) from NORTH CAROLINA says T-saver
I've never seen or heard of anyone having transom problems that were attributed to not using a transom saver. Has anyone??? I agree with Hawkeye, you never see saltwater boats with transom savers. This same discussion has come up on the boating board, and the general consensus there is that they are simply a waste of money.
2/20/2001 4:30:00 PM Submitted by BigTom (63.36.121.25) from FLORIDA says Transom saver
I use one on my saltwater boat, 25 foot. Matter of fact I use two, if I can take a little strain off the transom of boat and tilt mech of engine, it is worth it. Don't ever believe your boat is supported as good on a trailer as it is in the water.
2/20/2001 6:42:00 PM Submitted by Jason Bigness (209.2.143.154) from NEW YORK says I do wht Roland Martin does 2 pcs of PVC pipe
I use 2 short pcs of PVC pipe to cover my pins from getting all road dirt then pulling them into the seals,trim down and go ! Ive towed tens of thousands of miles this way and never a problem. Just like Roland says "with the motor toter you get all the road vibration and shock from the trailer going right into the lower unit" Dont want one dont need one !
2/22/2001 3:47:00 AM Submitted by Chad Heitman (205.191.64.124) from TEXAS says Transom savers acts like a safety harness against jolts
Try this: get in a harness tied by a rope and jump out of a tree where it stops just before you hit the ground. More than likely you will break the limb or hear it crack but, that my be the bones in your body from the force of the abrupt stop. Or you could slowly lower yourself down with no broke limb or bones. This is how your transom saver works. Somepeople (Hawkeye1) don't understand the law of physics. And if the manufacturer says you need one to cover any warranty you need to do it unless Hawkeye 1 gives you a contract saying he will cover the cost. I'm not an engineer just got a little more common sense I guess. My response is in laymans terms so anyone can understand.
2/22/2001 10:52:00 AM Submitted by Hawkeye1 from VIRGINIA says I guess Chad cant read
Using your example and my words. You Tie your self tight to a tree and jump you wont move there for nothin happpens. If your OB is not floping around to start with it cant hurt anything. If the Boat MFG requires the use of a transom saver then I would shop for another boat. Like I said it a bass boat thing, never heard of a saltwater boat mfg requiring a transom saver.
2/23/2001 2:32:00 AM Submitted by Jim (38.30.79.252) from TENNESSEE says Transom saver
I bought a boat from a fellow in So. Carolina who had never used a transom saver. He only used the Johnson tilt bracket on the motor. Steering was the hydraulic type. As I towed it home the motor would not stay centered but would flop over to one side or the other. First thing done when at home was to go to the store and get a transom saver-not to save transom but to keep the motor straight. Nuff said.
2/23/2001 5:42:00 AM Submitted by Chad Heitman (205.191.64.114) from TEXAS says Hawkeye 1 watch your motor bounce when you hit a pothole
If you look out that thing called a rear-view mirror you will see it bounce when you hit poholes, go over RR tracks just a fact of life. I'm not talking about the motor flopping all over the place left and right. I'm talking up and down, it will probly move an inch or 2 in each direction. Transom Saver is $30 of cheap insurance. Down here in Texas, the SMART saltwater fishermen(myself included) use them. Made one back in 81' to fit my 17' flatbottom with 60hp and never had a transom problem.