Trailering with Hydraulic Jackplate

[BigBucketMouth33]

Fellas when traveling i always put my jackplate all the way down. Ive always thought this was best and have also heard from others that it is. With that being said do any of you travel the same or do you lift it up a little from the lowest setting to keep lower unit a little higher off the ground. We have terrible roads in Louisiana and lots of places have steep driveways. Curious to hear what you all have to say. Thanks

[Hooked247]

I use to travel with mine all the way down; however, with a few very close calls, I run it all the way down then bring it up about 1/4 of the way. Seems like roads everywhere just aren't cared for like my younger years, and as one road is repaved the next one in dire need takes forever.

[Tom Edwards]

I seem to remember reading that Atlas wants it down, Bob's doesn't matter where you leave it.

[Phoenix 921]

I seem to remember reading that Atlas wants it down, Bob's doesn't matter where you leave it.

I was told this also, because the gauge will come uncalibrated if it is hauled up high. I had that happen on a ranger I had. I don't think hauling it down or up hurts the jack plate or boat. I will say if anyone knows of a reason why it would hurt the boat please post here.

[XChris1632X]

I figured they always said haul in down position due to the bumps and less leverage on the transom in the down position

[Phoenix919]

My dealer said down.

[krindgen]

I put it as far down as I can without damaging the rigging tube which contacts the back deck. If you keep it high, you'll notice a little more tongue bounce on the trailer when hauling.

[Gthunter5]

about number 2 on the bobs - I trailer it where the engine sits at wot

[Fidgetcranker]

I keep my Bob's about 2" high

[Bartman]

My dealer told me in the middle on an Atlas

[JMV]

Originally towed it all the way down and I now tow the Atlas at the 3" mark on the tape after grinding the skeg twice on a driveway departure.

[Nick D]

I've had two boats with an Atlas. Always have towed with it all the way down.

[kry29]

I keep my Bob's about 2" high

I keep mine at 2-1/2". Any lower and you might need a new skeg

[Hez]

Just ran across a post on Facebook from T-H Marine addressing this exact topic, here is what they said:

"One really important thing to remember when Trailering your boat, raise your Hydraulic Jackplate all the way up when putting the boat on the trailer to help prevent your Skeg/prop from hitting the bottom.⁣
⁣
Then once your boat is on the trailer, lower the Jack Plate back down while on the road to help protect the strength and longevity of the Jackplate"

[dstep0]

Bob's says you can trailer wherever you want to.

I have a Bobs. At first I always lowered it to the bottom just as a precaution. After a season of this, my rigging tube broke due to kinking it in such a low position, time after time. I fixed the tubing and just leave it where it was when I loaded the boat. Typically at about 3.5 on the gauge. If the manufacturer says it's good to trailer wherever you want to set it, that's good enough for me!

[BigBucketMouth33]

Just ran across a post on Facebook from T-H Marine addressing this exact topic, here is what they said:

"One really important thing to remember when Trailering your boat, raise your Hydraulic Jackplate all the way up when putting the boat on the trailer to help prevent your Skeg/prop from hitting the bottom.⁣
⁣
Then once your boat is on the trailer, lower the Jack Plate back down while on the road to help protect the strength and longevity of the Jackplate"

Thanks for the reply, but still a hard decision. lol. I definitely don't want my lower unit too low to the ground, don't want the rigging tube coiling up in the splash well, and don't want to inflict damage on the plate. I'd like to know how Atlas determines the damage done if it is in the raised position while traveling. Especially, while Bobs says there isn't an issue regardless the position.

[haus9393]

I trailer with my bobs all the way up a lot and at about 3” the rest of the time. If I haven’t had any signs of breaking mine then it should be bullet proof at any height because I break everything and my bobs plate is probably the only item on my boat that I haven’t had break. My bbt and precision sonar wave tamer mounts havent broke either. But other than that I’ve broke it all. When I first got the boat I used to put it all the way down. Then I would take my stock motor mount things off from trailering and after a month I broke the hose. I said never again. I got a motor mate shortly after which doesn’t require you to trim up as high to remove it and like I stated ever since then I leave the plate at operating height or higher. Haven’t broke the hose either since then.

[krindgen]

That rigging tube can be shortened up by about a foot. That helped me from more damage.