Outboard towing position

[The Incredible Hull]

Hey Raiders,

So I've got a new (used) boat, and its my first one with an electric trim on the motor.

In regards to using the motor stick mount and lowering the motor onto the stick, how exactly does the hydraulic trim work? On my mates boat, he has 2 rods which you can visually see that raises the motor. On mine I can't see any rods. When I lower the outboard onto the motor stick support, how far (or how much) am I supposed to push the down trim button, for it to be effective and take off the weight? Hope my question makes sense!

Cheers,

Dave

[zmk1962]

Hi Dave,

The hydraulic Tilt and Trim mechanism on my large horsepower mercury has 3 hydraulic rams, one is a lifter - the Tilt - and the other two are the Trim.  The Tilt ram does the main lifting to get to maximum Tilt and is connected at both ends. The Trim rams stick out free they are there to spread the thrust when under way with the larger horespower on the back.  I have attached picture from the web to better explain.  If your motor is a smaller capacity, I think you only have the center Tilt ram.

So back to your question, when you lower the motor down onto a chock for travel on the road, you do it until the chock is held in place. Because the Tilt ram is attached at both ends it is both pushing and pulling on its fixed points - so you don't want to put undue pull force on its top and bottom mounts - all you want to do is pinch the chock in place so that it does not fall out. 

You are actually not taking any weight off - your stern was built to take it, you are merely trying to keep your lower leg off the bitumen incase the hydraulics fail and your motor is inadvertently lowered....

Cheers

Zoran

[The Incredible Hull]

Zoran thanks for the reply, you answered it perfectly. Yes my mates boat has a bigger motor like yours with the 2 ram rods.

Mines a smaller 60hp.

So technically I didn't really need that support stick... but again thanks for the explanation!

[Raymondo]

On 04/11/2016 at 7:39 PM, SeaHuffKing said:

Use a trailer roller over the ram, if you look online under "Mywedge" you will see what i mean, pity they are not available here, Yamaha make one so they must know something (but at an expensive price). Dont use a transom saver bracket as if the boat moves at all on the trailer, the weight shift all transfers to the motor leg.

What a great idea. Simple and it works.