Transom Saver vs. Wedge advice

[BamaBoater]

I have a very new Boston Whaler Montauk 210 with 200HP Merc. Getting ready to haul it down to Alabama for the winter.

I see the transom savers attach to the trailer, there is also an optional M-Y Wedge that attaches over the cylinder. (There are ones you can make out of PVC pipe, zip ties and a roller too?)

Any advice or suggestions is appreciated.

Thanks.

[TomS]

I used a pair of the heavy rubber ones that go over the cylinders for my twin Merc 200's and they worked great (sold the boat). Easy to use and store.

[jmike]

I use one of those motor wedges on my Merc 300. Don't have to tow far so it works great. Maybe you want a transom saver for distance towing since you won't be loading and unloading for a bit.

[Sans Peur]

I am one of the non believers on transom savers. Never used them and I think they are a solution to a non existent problem.
The transom and engine mounts push that entire boat and the stresses are tremendous when getting on plane and just running. I can't see where a little bit of a road bump on a trailer with a ?400lbs? engine is anything near what is exerted during normal operation.
I have always put the engines all the way up and put the little factory safety latch up in case of a leaking cylinder (which never happened) and trailered away. I used to tow all over FL. From Jax to KW.

[Gnrphil]

I use the My Wedge, it's easy to put on and easy to stow away when not in use. I also have the black rubber thingy's to go on the steering rams to stop the outboard flopping to one side, don't forget to take those off when you launch though .

[Parker Yacht]

I am one of the non believers on transom savers. Never used them and I think they are a solution to a non existent problem.
The transom and engine mounts push that entire boat and the stresses are tremendous when getting on plane and just running. I can't see where a little bit of a road bump on a trailer with a ?400lbs? engine is anything near what is exerted during normal operation.
I have always put the engines all the way up and put the little factory safety latch up in case of a leaking cylinder (which never happened) and trailered away. I used to tow all over FL. From Jax to KW.

I am good with this whole post, with the exception of "put the little factory safety latch up".
As stated, those a a safety device, not designed or built for trailering.

[Sans Peur]

I only put it up as a last ditch failsafe and never let the engines rest on it.

[Barefoot]

I fail to see why transferring the load to the lower unit is preferable to carrying the load through the transom (which sees large loads while running anyway)

edit to say that I use a piece of 2X4 to hold the engine up a bit while trailering

[SIM]

Tilt your engine up half way or whatever height you would trailer it at, then grab the lower unit and raise it up and down. The engine is more balanced the higher you tilt it. You would be surprised how much movement is there. When you drive down the road with the engine partially tilted up and no support, I guarantee you the engine is rocking back and forth with the trailer bouncing. These devices prevent that from happening.

Many engines with the lower units removed that are tilted up all the way, they become very powerhead top heavy.

I would use some kind of holding device to prevent trim cylinders from lowering while driving, which can lead to reshaping the lower unit skeg and prop blades. lol

[Tip DS]

I agree with the guys who say the transom saver is a waste. If your transom can't support the engine, your boat needs to be fixed (or replaced.)

[Gnrphil]

Yeah I call mine a skeg saver, if I had a hydraulic failure in the tilt trim unit I wouldn't have a skeg when I got home.

[riplipper]

I'm a believer in the more vertical the motor is the less stress on the transom. I cringe when I see a motor horizontally bouncing and flexing the crap out of the transom.
Motor strait up, equals weight strait down in the direction of the transom;
If you have ever owned an aluminum jon boat you would understand this.