The great transom saver debate

[deepsky]

Well physics of a boat in water, and a boat on trailer are completely different. The water is a shock absorber for the weight of the motor and boat , torque is lessened by water giving way to “twist” of the prop. All things being equal the difference is like putting your foot on a piece of wood. Floating it gives way until it hits bottom, on shore it bears the full weight of gravity. Loose or weak attach points affect transom stability in water, on trailer it is direct weight on the transom .
I am having a steel transom saver made by a local welder, I’ll post pics when he is done. Should solve the bending issue with aluminum.

[Jonestrollingmotor]

Well physics of a boat in water, and a boat on trailer are completely different. The water is a shock absorber for the weight of the motor and boat , torque is lessened by water giving way to “twist” of the prop. All things being equal the difference is like putting your foot on a piece of wood. Floating it gives way until it hits bottom, on shore it bears the full weight of gravity. Loose or weak attach points affect transom stability in water, on trailer it is direct weight on the transom .
I am having a steel transom saver made by a local welder, I’ll post pics when he is done. Should solve the bending issue with aluminum.

I feel like I've got to put my .02 in here. I can agree the physics is different, and here comes the "but". When you shower down on 250hp outboard that is connected to the transom of a boat, it brings the nose in the air while it lifts the transom out of the water. That "twist" of taking a 20' boat and lifting the bow by using the transom, in my opinion, is more than the twist of an outboard hanging on the back of the transom going down a gravel road. I do realize that some of the bow rise is due to the design of the bottom of the boat, however the motor is still using the transom to lift the bow. Again, JMHO

[Bass Cat Boats]

Down in your neck of the woods John, in the Butch Kidd days, one person used to cross those downtown railroad tracks without a transom saver and always at a high rate of speed. Once we got him use a transom saver the damage to his boat was only from Millwood impacts. That didn’t make sense till he went one year without it after a year with it. 115 tower of power motor bracket play and more all went away, returned the next year without a toter, then we eliminated it by using a toter till they aged out.

Today it’s more about everything as it was then, everything from steering cylinders and pivot, to rubber motor mounts and jack plates. This will be debated even after we are all gone, though the pressures and situations are all different.

[OldTimer57]

There is one big difference. The load imposed when running at speed on the water is at least a "smooth" load. Yes we hit waves, but even that is a smooth shock due to the water. On a trailer, every crack, bump and such translates to a shock to the trailer. With the motor hanging on the back unsupported by anything but the transom, that motor exerts a moment of force through the swivel bracket and motor mounts to the transom. There's a difference between applying that torque to the rear of the boat in the water as opposed to applying the torque in many small shocks while driving down the road. That seems to be what is damaging motor mounts for some, particularly the pros that are on the road for significant amounts of time between fishing events...

There is a lot less stress when you apply the force generated by roadway bumps through two points on the motor (lower unit through transom saver and through swivel bracket through boat. If you don't support the end of the motor by connecting it to the trailer, you get that twisting moment caused by the weight/inertia of the motor. The transoms on most boats (certainly Bass Cat as the only 100% fiberglass transom I know of) are strong enough to handle the stress of running on the water, or towing. But the swivel bracket, motor mounts, and mid-section of the motor are not intended to support that 500+ pounds of weight swinging up and down with every bump. The more miles you tow, the more likely it is that something will give. There are many documented examples of motor mounts failing prematurely. I don't see the reasoning to justify taking any chance here.

[txsunfish]

I just bought another boat and was wondering after reading this post what would be recommended. It currently has a Pro Rule transom saver and I have always had the old school transom saver from motor to trailer. I think I want to go back to an old school saver but was inquiring about what the distance should be for this saver from the motor to trailer roller? Or should I try to gauge an equivalent distance based on the Rule transom saver and then adjust the bolts on the old school saver to make it fit? Or does the distance and angle matter just so its on an old school saver? Thoughts & Thx

[txsunfish]

?

[Cajunhunter67]

I just bought another boat and was wondering after reading this post what would be recommended. It currently has a Pro Rule transom saver and I have always had the old school transom saver from motor to trailer. I think I want to go back to an old school saver but was inquiring about what the distance should be for this saver from the motor to trailer roller? Or should I try to gauge an equivalent distance based on the Rule transom saver and then adjust the bolts on the old school saver to make it fit? Or does the distance and angle matter just so its on an old school saver? Thoughts & Thx

Not sure what a Pro Rule T saver is?

[MRichard2016]

Ive owned a Basscat for almost 20 years..recently purchased a newer one to me and I was given a Largemouth Lou transom saver. Noticed I could torque the hell out of the back trailer channel/support/roller obviously, if I wasnt careful. When i picked up the 2013 P4 it had a cracked weld one of the trailer channels, I dont need anymore.

I had a motormate on my last Basscat for most of those years of 2000-2018 and i will have a motormate on this one until a better product comes out.

[OldTimer57]

You do realize that a motor mate can burn up your trim motor? All you have to do is hold the down trim button for a while. Point being that ANYBODY can break something, even a crow bar, if they try hard enough. Can't imagine anyone thinking it is a good idea to down-trim until you bend the trailer cross-member, any more than it is a good idea to smoke the trim motor trying to compress a motor mate. Done right, the traditional transom saver is simply better. Enough better to save you money? Who knows. But better, nonetheless. Ask any structural engineering type person you can find...

[MRichard2016]

Dont think anyone here needs a structural engineer for a motor support Oldtimer57..

You use what you like..I will use what I like. Cheers!

[Wheelman]

Interesting response from the Mercury moderator and a mechanical engineer...

http://www.bbcboards.net/showthread.php?t=919149&page=2