Tow with the the outboard up or down?

Question

30 hp evinrude on the back of a beefy old 14.5 fiberglass boat. Nice easyloader trailer. When the motor is down about 3 inches to the ground. So i tow it in the up motor up..... I been poo pooed by a few people that i will wreck the boat doing this.....I figure that towing with it up is better then smashing it on the highway or speed bump . Am i right? I am a new boater...

Answer 1

Yes, you are correct. Tow the boat with the engine in the "up" position...there should be a stopping mechanism that you can "flip up" to relieve stress from the locking pins on the engine, but the motor might be too small or too old for that mechanism to be there. SO, if the engine hasn't come down on you while you're towing it, then you're obviously doing something right! Happy Boating!

Answer 2

its true that its better to  tow with the motor up but its even true that you can break your boat so if i was you i will trim the motor then fit a good piece of wood from the boat to center of the motor and then bring the motor down to rest on the piece of wood so that you dont have that much pressure on the boat

Answer 3

Watch an outboard going down the road, and watch that thing bounce. Even the beefiest transom is taking some stress.

My solution is a support that runs from the trailer below the transom and supports the lower unit of the outboard. Generally in a partially raised position. Saves a lot of wear and tear on the boat. You can buy one, or make one yourself.

BTW, if you tow with the skeg only three inches off the ground there will come a day when that engines touches and maybe even bangs. Please don't risk it.

Edit: In response to one of my compatriots above me, not everyone who tows with the engine down is a complete idiot. I have a pontoon boat that rides so high on its trailer that the engine can be left all the way down, and not even come close to touching. Mind your manners, especially if you don't know it all.

Answer 4

most motors have a locking device that is used when motor is up. lock the motor up & relieve the pressure on the gas connection.

Answer 5

You just proved to the world you actually have common sense. Anyone who tows a boat, ANY boat, with the prop down is a complete IDIOT. Gee lets go down the the list of items that could be lost, destroyed or render a boat better suited as an anchor.....1. the obvious one....you get to the lake "Golly where did the prop go and why is everything behind me on FIRE"........2..You drop the boat in the water and gee what the h**l happened? The steering linkage and/or hydrolicks are completely shot. Anybody got an oar?......3..You look in your rear view mirror and notice how strikingly familiar the guy behind you hood ornament looks amazingly similar to your boat motor and golly he looks angry......hhhmmmm prop up or DOWN AND DRAGGING??....decisions, decisions

Answer 6

Depends on how high it sits on the trailer.  If you need to raise it because of an extreme angle, You can. I just hope that you don't have to wish you would've.

Answer 7

Definitely tow with the motor up.  You can buy a transom saver which is an arm that supports the lower part of the drive and takes the stress of a bouncing motor off the transom.

Answer 8

Im going to mind my manners because my mom taught me if I couldnt say anything good, dont say anything at all...LMAO!

Towing with the outboard 3 inches from the ground will cause more damage than towing with it up! You maybe new but a lil common sense will take you far...

Outboards do bounce around, your transom will have stress--check out Cabela's and buy one of the aluminum transom support devices-POOF, your problem is solved.

you will hear criticism either way-trust your instincts