2008 Montauk 170 Transom Support Using "transom saver device"

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
Whalerfisherman
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2008 Montauk 170 Transom Support Using "transom saver device"

Postby Whalerfisherman » Wed Sep 13, 2017 9:49 am

Should I use some sort of "transom saver" for my 2008 170 Montauk with a Mercury 90 FOURSTROKE? You know the different devices you can support your motor from the trailer. Please share your reasons why or why not.



Thanks!
Last edited by Whalerfisherman on Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:08 am, edited 1 time in total.

jimh
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom Saver

Postby jimh » Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:03 am

I am not certain what you mean by "some sort of transom saver." Can you give an example of such a device?

I would expect the transom of a recently made Boston Whaler boat to be sufficiently strong to support the original engine without reinforcement of the transom. There are many 50-year-old Boston Whaler boats with strong transoms.

Whalerfisherman
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby Whalerfisherman » Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:10 am

I updated my post with a little more description. A transom saver is a device that adds extra support to the motor while trailering. It helps keep the motor from bouncing hard over bumps while trailering. Some attach from the lower unit down to the rear cross member of the trailer...Some just add support near the power trim unit.

What do you use?

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Dutchman
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby Dutchman » Wed Sep 13, 2017 3:57 pm

I had this question too and did buy a Attwood type just for piece of mind even though the Montauk manual says to just use your power tilt to keep the engine from hitting the road as the transom of you boat is more than strong enough to handle the weight.
The dynamic stresses when boating will be much greater than the static stress caused by the weight of the motor.
I lost my TS a couple of weeks ago and I did forego replacing it for the reason as mentioned in the owners manual as to not needing it.
Like Jim said you'll be fine without.
EJO
"Clumsy Cleat"look up what it means
50th edition 2008 Montauk 150, w/60HP Mercury Bigfoot

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Phil T
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby Phil T » Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:06 pm

When trailering, you can support the motor by lowering it till it touches the trim ram(s). If the motor needs to be tilted higher, use a my-wedge style support and NOT the type that connect to the trailer.

http://www.m-ywedge.com/products.html
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jimh
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby jimh » Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:01 pm

Re "What do I use?":

When the boat is on the trailer, I use the trailer lock mechanism on my Evinrude engine. I think all Evinrude engines have had this mechanism built into their engine mount for 30 years. [I have] no need to buy something extra.

InVision
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby InVision » Thu Sep 14, 2017 5:46 am

jimh wrote:When the boat is on the trailer, I use the trailer lock mechanism on my Evinrude engine. I think all Evinrude engines have had this mechanism built into their engine mount for 30 years. No need to buy something extra.


Jim, I politely disagree with your statement. I have owned many outboards 70-300hp. Mostly Yamaha and Mercury. The built in "Support Lever" should not be use during trailering. Captured photo out of the 90HP 4-Stroke Mercury Manual... M

mecury.jpg
mecury.jpg (211.7 KiB) Viewed 9820 times
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Phil T
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby Phil T » Thu Sep 14, 2017 7:51 am

As an owner of a 1992 Evinrude 115, I agreee that there is a heavy duty support bracket. Classic Evinrudes including this is the exception rather than the rule.

As a former owner of Yamaha and Mercury engines, I can say this is not true for them. The verbiage I read called them support devices for doing maintenance.

I trailered my Outrage 17 with a Yamaha F115 all over the place (100 mile trips) for 7 years without a support device and never had a problem.

If you are visiting local and regional ramps and the roads are paved, a support device is not necessary.
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby jimh » Thu Sep 14, 2017 8:12 am

I am sure Evinrude engines have had the trailer support feature for decades. To reply that Mercury engines do not have such a feature does not contradict what I said about Evinrude, nor how I use my Evinrude engine's feature.

The best advice is generally from the owner's manual. If you own an outboard engine and its owner's manual clearly states that you cannot pull the trailer with that engine tilted up unless you buy some extra gizmo, then go buy that extra gizmo.

I have difficulty believing that a hydraulic ram that can hold the engine in position while the engine pushes a boat that weighs several thousand pounds into big headseas could not have enough power to simply hold up the partial weight of the engine gear case when tilted up. But, if the engine maker of your outboard says you have to buy something--then buy it and use it. But I don't see that the transom is being saved--sounds more like the engine tilt ram is being saved.

andrey320
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby andrey320 » Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:16 pm

Phil T wrote:When trailering, you can support the motor by lowering it till it touches the trim ram(s). If the motor needs to be tilted higher, use a my-wedge style support and NOT the type that connect to the trailer.

http://www.m-ywedge.com/products.html


Another satisfied m-ywedge user here! Simpler than supporting on the trailer. Only caution is remember to remove it before trying to lower your engine....

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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby jimh » Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:51 am

Maybe the "m" and "y" in the name m-ywedge stand for Mercury and Yamaha. It looks like a better solution than the kludge trailer arm bracket illustrated above.

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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom support... "transom saver device"

Postby Jefecinco » Fri Sep 15, 2017 9:09 am

A piece of 4X4" post about a foot or foot and a half long can make an excellent transom "wedge" at a very low cost. When we bought our Sport 13 with a newish four stroke Mercury engine it came with such a wedge. Eye screws were screwed into each end and a bungee cord ensured it would not be easily lost while towing nor forgotten at the ramp. The wedge is simply placed between the Tilt/trim clamp and the mating piece on the engine. Use the engine switch to lower the engine tilt squeezing the wedge in place. Use the bungee cord for insurance and off you go.
Butch

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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom Support Using "transom saver device"

Postby jimh » Fri Sep 15, 2017 7:11 pm

I am a bit stunned that after you buy a premium boat like a new Boston Whaler that there is a critical component omitted from the deal. Based on what is being said and cited here, if I just spent $100,000 on a new Boston Whaler boat, before I could hook up my truck hitch and tow it home on its trailer I would need to invest in some gizmo or bring some lumber and bungee cords with me to make it safe to tow it. Why would Boston Whaler sell boats on trailers that cannot be towed without adding something? That seems crazy.

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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom Support Using "transom saver device"

Postby mfosterbedford » Fri Sep 15, 2017 8:13 pm

I have been very pleased using an Attwood product called "Lock N' Stow" on our 2010 170 Montauk with a 90 HP EFI Mercury engine. See
http://www.attwoodmarine.com/store/product/lock-n-stow. Similar to what others have mentioned, my owners manual says "DO NOT rely on the power trim/tilt system or the tilt support lever on your outboard to maintain proper ground clearance for trailering. THE OUTBOARD TILT SUPPOT LEVER IS NOT INTENDED TO SUPPORT THE OUTBOARD FOR TRAILERING" (PAGE 2-20).

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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom Support Using "transom saver device"

Postby Paul A » Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:05 pm

Perhaps the recomendation for an extra motor support is not because the transom is too weak or the motor hydraulic ram is too weak but everyone is covering their you-know-what if their own product fails. It's the world we live in. I have been trailering outboards without the "belt and suspender" excess for 35-years with no problems. I absolutely agree with Jim's physics.

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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom Support Using "transom saver device"

Postby jheiii » Thu Sep 21, 2017 5:24 pm

Just ordered my Owens trailer and going to pick it up in a week, this is a very timely post. I reached out to M-Y Wedge as they seem to be the way to go, thanks to this thread.
2007 Montauk 170

swist
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Re: 2008 Montauk 170 Transom Support Using "transom saver device"

Postby swist » Tue Sep 26, 2017 2:22 pm

Then I'm not sure what the tilt support lever is for. Isn't it even called a "trailering lock" in some contexts?