I have a 16-foot Lund with a Suzuki DF25 V-twin tiller, That weighs 160 pounds give or take. I have it bolted into the transom right now. I will tow it some long distances this summer for up to 4 hours. Is a transom saver really a necessity for a 25 HP motor? Thanks for any help.
Here we go again. You can search and see the pages of responses from last time. If it were mine I would probably just go with the wedge since it stows easily.
Transom saver takes 10 seconds to put on and is as easy as it gets. Easy piece of mine.
That said, I don’t use one
Do you travel with it vertical or tilted? If it’s vertical, nothing is needed.
If it were mine I would probably just go with the wedge since it stows easily.
I use this too. 75 hp merc 4-stroke.
For a 25 hp as the OP has, even a section of 2 x 4 placed horizontally with the trim clamped down would also work and be a lot cheaper.
IMO, the only benefit(regardless of HP) to a “transom saver” is it keeps the motor straight ahead. Which honestly is just an appearance thing, I need my motor straight or I will stop my vehicle and make it straight. OCD I guess.
IMO, the only benefit(regardless of HP) to a “transom saver” is it keeps the motor straight ahead. Which honestly is just an appearance thing, I need my motor straight or I will stop my vehicle and make it straight. OCD I guess.
On my old duck boat I had no transom straps so used ratchet straps across the boat and down to the trailer. I had one run right over the tiller handle and I used a little nightize thing to connect the tiller handle to the strap to keep it from moving during transport. It was totally unnecessary but it helped my dumb brain to look back in the rear view and see a straight motor
Thanks for all the help guys, My understanding was the transom saver reduced strain on the transom caused by the weight of the motor when hitting bumps and things like that. I’m a new boat owner so still getting used to everything. Thanks for the help again.
Aboxy, does your 25hp Suzuki have power trim? I had a mid-90s Alumacraft with a 25 Suzuki at one point, and I didn’t have power trim. I just ran a bungee across the back of the transom so the motor wouldn’t swing back and forth, but I never used a transom saver.
Aboxy, does your 25hp Suzuki have power trim? I had a mid-90s Alumacraft with a 25 Suzuki at one point, and I didn’t have power trim. I just ran a bungee across the back of the transom so the motor wouldn’t swing back and forth, but I never used a transom saver.
I did the same on my mariner 25 when I had that
i have a 40 horse on a 16 ft lund with electric lift…….i wouldnt go without a transom saver……screw the wood block!!!!!!! but that’s just me!!!!
FWIW – I run a TS on a 16 ft boat with 25hp motor.
-J.
The more I can streamline this boat crap the better, put it on store take off put on, and 20 other things that really do not take that long… have never used one and nothing has gotten damaged-When I started fishing a simple boat was on a dock I untied it started the motor & I was off, yup I was lucky.
The purpose is to protect your skeg from slamming into the ground in the event that your hydraulic trim goes out while driving. If you have manual tilt/ trim just pin it in the up position. The most stress your transom will ever see is running wot on the water, allegedly.
Wood block is the natural, superior choice. I prefer untreated Pine. Might put a coat of boiled linseed oil on it to dress it up. The possibilities are endless.
If it has tilt and trim, I would recommend something, but not a transom saver. Get a m-y wedge and be done with it. I have never been fond of tying the motor to the trailer with a transom saver. if it is manual tilt, and your trailer allows it, just leave the motor in the normal operating position, and drive, with no other protection other than the motor locked in the running position. I have a 1976 16 foot boat that has been hauled this way for my entire life and still going strong with no transom damage.
IMO, the only benefit(regardless of HP) to a “transom saver” is it keeps the motor straight ahead. Which honestly is just an appearance thing, I need my motor straight or I will stop my vehicle and make it straight. OCD I guess.
A friend that passed a few years ago was an aluminum welder. He did work for several boat dealers and shops.
He repaired a few lower units every year that had been damaged transom savers. He said people that put enough pressure on the motor to hold it straight were one of the major causes of damage to lower units.
Aboxy, does your 25hp Suzuki have power trim? I had a mid-90s Alumacraft with a 25 Suzuki at one point, and I didn’t have power trim. I just ran a bungee across the back of the transom so the motor wouldn’t swing back and forth, but I never used a transom saver.
It does not no, Manuel Tilt/Trim. However, I do have a lever that locks in the steering so it doesn’t swing back and forth while driving.
The tilt is hydraulic assisted however so you do not have to use much strength to get it tilted. Is this the case with most manual tilt/trim motors or is it not as common?
I can’t see how any of those would save your transom at all. It’s bolted in the same place. All the weight is in the same place. Save your trim ram maybe??? IMO if you want to take the weight/pressure from bouncing on your transom the lower unit needs to be supported by the trailer. BUT then there are those that say every bump the trailer takes gets transferred to you motor (???). Dealer told me to trim my motor up so 1/2 the weight is in front of the transom and go.
But what do I know. I have a better than basic knowledge of physics. I have only had a real boat, 16′ w/ 60 Merc, for 2 summers and only take it 2 miles to the landing. I did buy a trailer mounted support (Ve-Ve – made in USA and sturdier than the other 3 brands I looked at) for mine. And if I ever go far that is what I will use.
<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Cole wrote:</div>
IMO, the only benefit(regardless of HP) to a “transom saver” is it keeps the motor straight ahead. Which honestly is just an appearance thing, I need my motor straight or I will stop my vehicle and make it straight. OCD I guess.A friend that passed a few years ago was an aluminum welder. He did work for several boat dealers and shops.
He repaired a few lower units every year that had been damaged transom savers. He said people that put enough pressure on the motor to hold it straight were one of the major causes of damage to lower units.
I completely agree with your friend. It’s a note I meant to make, but I guess I didn’t.
I use a transom saver. I don’t know if it really saves the transom. There is a lot of weight, over 620lbs hanging there. I guess the most important thing for me is if it wasn’t there holding the motor up and the trim cylinders failed it wouldn’t keep the motor from dropping saving the skeg and prop from hitting the ground while going 70mph.
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