Trailering - motors up or down?

Hookup1 · Feb 15, 2021

I haven trailering my boat back and forth NJ to FL Keys for the last 12 years. What is everyones thought on up or down?

I have always trailered up on the stops. My thinking is the weight of the motor is somewhat balanced on the transom. I have read all sore of things. Blocks of wood with the motor down, bass boat style braces from lower unit to trailer frame.

What do you think?

CJ7Rob · Feb 15, 2021

I trailer up and on the stop. Some guys use transom savers. I wouldn't leave it down. Al it takes is a pothole or something in the road to catch the skeg or prop, then you'll have bigger problems.

SkunkBoat · Feb 15, 2021

Assuming you have hydraulic tilt..

Up with stops down but not resting on stops.
Tilt holding motor up to prevent bouncing. Stops down in case you lose hydraulic the motor does not go down.

Many years ago I had a 40hp without hydraulic tilt. I first time out I tilted up and put on stops...hit bumps and bent crap out of stops. after that I went to the wood block method...

DennisG01 · Feb 15, 2021

Depends on how it sits on the trailer. If it sits high enough with enough ground clearance, then leave it down. But the built-in "stop" is not meant for trailering - even though some do it and really "shouldn't" be a problem. "Balanced"... not really. The transom still feels the 500lbs no matter where the weight is - but with the motor at a horizontal angle you may actually get some "teeter totter" type force that stresses the transom in an odd way. Either way, though, if you're worried about the transom, you shouldn't be putting the boat on the water.

I like to get the engine about 1/3 trimmed up so the skeg is high enough and wedge a 2x in there and then bring the engine down onto the 2x to hold it in place. A bungee cord can be used to keep the 2x there should the lines let go.

Ky Grady · Feb 15, 2021

I trailer from Kentucky to Ohio going to Lake Erie, South Carolina to Santee, Florida to the central west coast and in May to the Keys and have used the M-Y Wedge on both trim cylinders with no issues. They take the weight of the motor much better than the single trailering bracket. I've seen those bend and fail.

Fish- on · Feb 15, 2021

I use a product called m-y wedge. It is a very hard rubber cylinder with a hole in the center that goes over the ram. You raise your motor put the m-y wedge over the ram then lower the motor on to it.
It keeps the motor plenty off of the ground. m-ywedge.com

leeccoll · Feb 15, 2021

I tilt up, stops down but trim down until almost touching....

DennisG01 · Feb 15, 2021

If I was going to splurge and pay for anything more than a scrap piece of 2x, that M-Y Wedge would be my choice. I'm making a bit of a joke there, but I've seen that Wedge for years, now, and I do like it.

magicalbill · Feb 15, 2021

I'm with KY Grady on the M-y Wedges. I used them on my Gulfstream's F200's years ago. When I trailered my Marlin to Michigan in '19 I tried to order a pair for my V8 350's. What we found was the identical product with Yamaha's name on them. Yam either bought them out or copied their design and got away with it.

In either case, they worked just like the M-y Wedges and kept the 350's at a perfect angle for trailering. (A side note: with the heavy V8's, I had to use 2 "wedges" per OB. One on each trim cylinder, so I purchased a total of four.)

When you guys say "stops," are you referring to the "flip-down" mechanism that holds the outboard tilted all the way up? If you are, then Dennis, Skunk & KY are right, they are not meant for trailering. I used it to hold up my '94 two-stroke 250 on my Seafarer back in the 90's and bent it to smithereens after a couple long trips.

SeanC · Feb 16, 2021

I use the Yamaha version of the My_Wedge. The user manual says not to use the "filp down latches" when trailering.

wrxhoon · Feb 16, 2021

This is what I use 2"x4" that brings it to the height I feel suitable so I never hit the ground . In any case never relay on the mooring stops ( that's what they are for) and tilt it down as far as possible without hitting ground . On some bigger boats with tweens you would be able to trailer all the way down.

mhinch · Feb 16, 2021

Good info in here
Nice tow vehicle wrxhoon....

Parthery · Feb 16, 2021

Another vote for the m-y wedge. I've used one for years.

magicalbill · Feb 16, 2021

I feel this is worth mentioning again:

We tried to get M-y Wedges for my 350's and could not find them. As I stated in my reply, Yamaha has their version of them available. We went with them and they work exactly the same as the m-y wedges.

As several have stated, they are the way to go.

Lt.Mike · Feb 16, 2021

I trim mine up then lower it back down on a 2x4 to take the strain off the hydraulics and to keep it from bouncing. I drilled a hole at each end and ran an old fan belt thru the holes to make a loop to be able to hang it in place until the motor pinches it in place. This keeps the engine kicked up enough to clear what it might scrape on but not enough to bounce and lever it’s weight possibly cracking the transom. This distributes the weight of the motor evenly on the entire mount instead of just the top portion.

magicalbill · Feb 16, 2021

Lt. MIke:

Interesting; I would be concerned that after hitting a bump underway, the engine might raise up enough to let the wood block slide out. Never a problem with that?

Is that an older Merc?

Hookup1 · Feb 17, 2021

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm going to try the My-Wedge or similar approach. I saw a dual piston with crossbar too. Also will try the steering stops.

Ky Grady · Feb 17, 2021

Hook,,,, I use the steering stops also. Keeps motor centered and keeps the pressure off the steering cylinder with the motor trying to lean to one side or the other while traveling.

Lt.Mike · Feb 17, 2021

magicalbill said:
Lt. MIke:

Interesting; I would be concerned that after hitting a bump underway, the engine might raise up enough to let the wood block slide out. Never a problem with that?

Is that an older Merc?

If you use just the block and hit a really good bump hard yes. But I used an old mower belt to make this. Works perfect.

magicalbill · Feb 17, 2021

Ah, I see now; The belt loops over the trim cylinders & keeps the wood in place.

That is a neat configuration; Nice job Lt Mike!

Trailering - motors up or down?

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