Transom saver

[KKRCRACE]

I have a 2018 C24 with 300 hp outboard. I am getting ready to tow from Maryland to Florida which is about 2100 miles round trip. Would it be wise to use a transom saver support bracket that goes from the rear of the trailer to the lower unit on the outboard ? There are lots of opinions on this subject but I would prefer your expert advice. I would not install the brace until I have towed a few miles so that the boat has settled on the trailer.
Thank You,
KKRCRACE

 

[knotflying]

Having towed outboard boats before I usually used a block of wood between the engine and the bracket rather than the flimsy swing tab. Never used a bracket to support the lower unit.

 

[BB marine]

I am a believer in a transom saver. It does what it says it does. It eliminates the stresses on the transom that are not supposed to be there. The transoms are designed to support the weight and forward forces of an outboard not the vertical forces. When driving down the road, especially with bracket mounted engines or engines extended off the main hull the vertical forces are greater. A simple example is a lever. The hull is supported well on a good trailer but the engine is not. When using a good transom saver that is solid mounted to the trailer and is supporting the engine at the Lower unit with the engine tilted at the proper angle. Some of the engines weight is supported by the trailer reducing the stresses at the transom or bracket. When the boat trailer motor combination is going down the road it all rides as one.

Not all transoms savers are created equal. Not all transom saver installations are equal. Many of the bolt on cheap brackets are worthless. The are some applications that some fabricating needs to be done to get the true benefit of the transom saver. When I owned an outboard boat and trailered it. There was a transom saver used. I have seen many transoms with large outboards on them that get trailered with grazing and small stress cracks. I can't confirm this is from lack of support while trailering but I can Assume it is. My opinion. There are a lot of boats being trailered without them, not Mine!

 

[Capt’nKarl]

We tow our 2018 R-23 with the Yamaha 200 outboard a lot. Search Yamaha MAR-MTSPT-YM-10. It’s a solid rubber shock absorber that fits over the port engine tilt rod. It’s not cheap but it works great and so easy to put on and take off. Highly recommend. I have no affiliation with the product or Yamaha.
Capt’nKarl

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

If the Yamaha rubber shock absorber is used while trailering is it overkill to ratchet strap the tilted outboard out drive to the transom?

Jim F

 

[Capt’nKarl]

I don’t think it would harm anything to ratchet the out drive. I’ve never done it but you bring up a good point. IMO when you use the Yamaha shock absorber the weight of the out drive should be enough to keep movement to a minimum. We’ve towed our R-23 hundreds of miles over some rough roads and so far so good. I will say my tow speed is usually between 55-60 mph.
Karl

 

[KKRCRACE]

I want to thank everyone for responding to my question. I would also like to here from Cutwater factory representatives. I am going with the transom saver unless the factory says different. I think that it is the only way to stop the twisting forces that the outboard puts on the transom if unsupported while trailering. As to the flimsy trailer brackets I will take Brians advice make up better brackets and Tig weld them to the trailer.
KKRCRACE

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

We are acting like the trailer doesn’t have a suspension. That a trailer hitting a pothole is worse than slapping a 3 foot wake.

Also, I usually agree with BB, but disagree with the statement that the transoms weren’t designed for trailering. I would think FM would recommend Transom Savers if that were the case, but they don’t.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Brian 27 OB]

I think the Yamaha’s have a kickstand built into them you can swing out and rest the motor on. I did get two of the Yamaha supports on it. My dealer put a single metal one on the boat when I bought it. I figured two cushioned Yamaha ones would be better. I have out about 4K miles on the trailer and I have cracks in the gelcote around the pod and where the bracket mates to the hull. So who knows if they work.

 

[baz]

I want to thank everyone for responding to my question. I would also like to here from Cutwater factory representatives. I am going with the transom saver unless the factory says different. I think that it is the only way to stop the twisting forces that the outboard puts on the transom if unsupported while trailering. As to the flimsy trailer brackets I will take Brians advice make up better brackets and Tig weld them to the trailer.
KKRCRACE

If it were me your solution is the right thing to do. Some 600 lb being bounced on the transom platform cannot be good at all, regardless of how strong the transom platform is.

The one issue that would give me cause for concern is that supporting the OB motor with an inflexible attachment from the motor to the trailer's I-beams will mean the trailer and the motor will move in tandem/unison when encountering irregular road discontinuities, but with the boat itself not being firmly secured down to the trailer bunks means both the transom platform and the motor could be moving in different directions (even small differences in motion will not be good), and in so doing places unwanted stress on the transom platform. This whole issue needs to be modeled using a computer simulation to see what is the best method for protecting the transom platform from being fatigued, cracking, and its possible ultimate failure.

Maybe RT/CW could collaborate and contract a computer modeler expert to perform some real world simulations. 😱

Question: What does RT/CW do with this issue when shipping boats across country ?

Good luck with this. 🙂

 

[KKRCRACE]

Baz, I agree completely. I am going to secure the boat on the trailer so that there is very little movement up and down and front to back but not so tight as to stress the boat. I build race car chassis for living and race and know what towing incorrectly can do. I have seen dragster chassis broke in half in a short time from towing and being tied down incorrectly. I also know what goes on behind the axles of a trailer. I am not leaving for another month so I’m still thinking this through.
KKRCRACE

 

[CruisingElvinRay]

My R-23”s maiden voyage was 2,800 miles from Kent, WA to Pensacola, FL. Shipped by the factory on the factory trailer. No engine crutch.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[BB marine]

My R-23”s maiden voyage was 2,800 miles from Kent, WA to Pensacola, FL. Shipped by the factory on the factory trailer. No engine crutch.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

That means that the factory ships the boat with the engine not supported. Nothing more. If they transported without supporting the motors hydraulic system they are not following Yamahas recommendation " If the motor can not be trailered in the normal running position an additional support devise is needed to support the engine in the tilted position" This is from the owners manual that you all have from Yamaha.

Yamaha does not want the stress put on the hydraulic system while trailering down the road. They put this disclaimer in their manual so that if there is a failure to the hydraulics and the motor falls to the full down position without enough ground clearance they are not responsible for the damages.

There is a misconception of what a transom saver is. A devise that is used to support the hydraulics is a trailering devise that should be called a Hydraulic saver. It really does nothing to support the transom.

I usually agree with BB, but disagree with the statement that the transoms weren’t designed for trailering. I would think FM would recommend Transom Savers if that were the case, but they don’t.

I think you read my post wrong. I don't see a quote "transoms weren't designed to be trailered" This is my quote"

The transoms are designed to support the weight and forward forces of an outboard not the vertical forces. When driving down the road, especially with bracket mounted engines or engines extended off the main hull the vertical forces are greater.

No where did it state transoms are not designed to be trailered.

If a boat on a trailer is tied down correctly with the proper hull support, a transom saver mounted and secured properly to the trailer, supporting the engine correctly there can be no argument that is not protecting the equipment and reducing stresses on the transom.

The threads question was

Would it be wise to use a transom saver support bracket that goes from the rear of the trailer to the lower unit on the outboard ?

My opinion is yes. Is it required by a manufacture that has no idea what the conditions of the transoms will be in 10 years of trailering their product. No it is not required.


Today with the popularity of outboard 4 strokes and the use of pod or bracket mounts. When the boat is in the water the pod is evenly supporting the engine. The pod or bracket have flotation of some form. When that same boat is on the trailer the support ends at the trailer bunks. The weight of the pod plus the full weight of the engine is hanging out there completely unsupported. Look at the picture Brian 27 OB posted. The motor and pod is traveling down the road with close to 800 lbs hanging unsupported. Is it going to fall off ? No! Is it causing stress points that are weakening the hull where the pod and hull are bonded. I hope not! Are there additional stresses at those points when trailering down the road. Yes! I have looked at a number of R27 and R23 Ranger outboard boats out of the water at a dealer that is located where I dock my boat. I have seen crazing cracks at radiuses where the transom and pod meet. This is not surprising. Fiberglass flexes and gel coat doesn't flex as much. Areas in hulls and decks that have stresses it is not unusual to see some crazing cracks. There is repetitive flexing of the fiberglass hull or deck and then the gelcoat cracks start to appear. Most of the time these cracks are superficial not structural. In high stress areas like transoms I have seen structural damage from repetitive trailering without supporting the engine. The manufactures that used wood in the transom were more prone to structural weakness . How many older trailerable boats have you seen with metal plates bolted to the transom??

Just because a manufacture that builds a boat doesn't say use a transom support while trailering the boat.It is not wise to do! Boat Manufactures build boats. What happens to that boat 5 or 10 years after being built doesn't effect them.

It is not good Marketing to build a boat and put a disclaimer on your product. USE A TRANSOM SAVER WHILE TRAILERING TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE TRANSOM!! That is the last thing you will ever see from any manufacturer. The first thought a consumer would have is "They must have problems with their transom"!

Manufactures let consumers make their own decisions. My opinion and decision would be use a devise to support the engine to reduces stresses on the transom. Right or wrong!

I have had this discussion with boaters in the 70's,80's,90's ...... 2021 Transom savers are still made and used. Why?

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

In communicating with RT yesterday I found out that the Yamaha Rubber Ram tilt support comes with the boat. I was asking questions specific to the R25OB so I don’t know for sure about the other outboards but would guess they would also. I did not ask if boats they ship to dealers have them inserted for cross country travel so hopefully someone from FM will advise us. There are also rubber sleeves that can be put on the steering rods to keep the engine from moving from side to side.

Jim F

 

[BB marine]

In communicating with RT yesterday I found out that the Yamaha Rubber Ram tilt support comes with the boat. I was asking questions specific to the R25OB so I don’t know for sure about the other outboards but would guess they would also. I did not ask if boats they ship to dealers have them inserted for cross country travel so hopefully someone from FM will advise us. There are also rubber sleeves that can be put on the steering rods to keep the engine from moving from side to side.

Jim F

Good information Jim. The Yamaha Rubber Ram tilt support is a requirement of Yamaha when trailering with the engine in any position other than the normal operating position. This quote is from the owners manual

" If the motor can not be trailered in the normal running position an additional support devise is needed to support the engine in the tilted position"

This is called a transom saver but in reality it is a hydraulic saver or lower unit saver. In the event that there is a check valve failure or any type of hydraulic failure while trailering the boat and the ground clearance between the lower unit and the road will cause an impact or damage to the engine. The the rubber ram support will prevent this from happening. The rubber tilt support does not reduce stresses at the transom or provide any type of support to the boat.It is for the engine.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

Based on all this good information, in addition to the rubber ram tilt support, what make/model transom saver have others used on the R25OB? , that you’ve found to fit properly and do the job ?

Jim

 

[baz]

Jim: I know you trailer your boat frequently, and quite likely haven't had to deal with the trailering issues with OB models.

To me, there's really no good solution that can adequately protect the transom platform, unless it was built like a 'fortress' having no danger of being overloaded with a hanging 500 to 600 lb load operating on a 3 to 4 foot moment arm to the base of the transom.

On the R25/OB I believe there are no bracing struts under the swim platform, such as seen on some of the other RT models.

My guess is that there are solutions being tossed around here that can minimize the forces placed on the transom platform, but none will completely eliminate the issue of fiber glass crazing, cracking, fatigue, etc due to trailering. I think you must do your best with the situation and accept that there will be some minor issues, and hopefully no major ones over time.

Note that the trailer itself is a flexible structure. It may look solid, stiff, rigid, but it's not when being moved over irregular road surfaces. This will affect how the boat on the bunkers is being carried, and there's obviously going to be motions and displacements all around. A structural engineer would find analyzing the trailer-boat-OB combo moving along on irregular surfaces quite a challenge to do.... hence my earlier post that mentions a computer modeling expert would be needed to simulate the forces and displacements for the trailer-boat-OB combo, and figure out an optimum means for eliminating/minimising the issue of there being too much force on the transom platform.

Take a look at some of the Grady White boats and pay attention to the transom area that is hugely strengthen to carry two 300HP monster Yamaha engines. That really is a good structural approach for having 1200 lbs hanging on the stern.

https://www.gradywhite.com/models/center-consoles/canyon-326/

Of course, removing the OB engine is the ultimate solution. 😱 ...and with this option, let me ask how difficult would it be to remove the engine and carry/trailer it along with the boat with it placed elsewhere? 😉 :?:

Good luck with this. 🙂

[EDIT]
I've looked closely at the R25/OB and see that the actual attachment of the engine hinge plate is but a few inches from the transom back. This means the vertical moment arm of 500 lb x say 8 inches is considerable less than what I expected earlier. This aspect is good. 😎

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

I researching transom savers, they support the outboard to the trailer, I’ve found only ones that are rated for outboards up to 150hp, with RT and Cutwaters being in the 200-300 hp range…..must have something to do with the engine weight. With that said does anyone know of ones rated for higher horse powered outboards?

Jim F

 

[dgiles]

Can't argue a transom saver isn't a good idea, but look around at trailered boats and count how many have one. Then how often do you hear about transom failures? Rare, if ever. It really isn't a major problem unless a new boat manufacturer jumps into outboards and screws up the transom design.

 

[trailertrawlerkismet]

I would not be as concerned about this if we only trailered locally. In our case we trailer thousands of miles per year therefore the added benefit for my needs may be greater. I’m exploring so I’m prepared and if the factory tells me I don’t need one then so be it. However if they say it’s a good idea, based on my trailering history, then I’ll know what to buy. Anyone use one on there RT/Cutwater boats? If so what brand/size?

Jim F