bellamia
New member
This may seem like a daft question but when towing a trailer sailer on the road is it normal to leave the outboard tilted on its bracket or is it best in the boot of the car or in the cockpit ? Thanks in advance
Trailer sailing
- Thread starter bellamia
- Start date
Strathglass
New member
There are one or two considerations as to where to have the outboard when trailing.
Can it be securely fitted on the transom ie, will it fall off or be stolen.
Once you have sorted that out the next thing is to just put the outboard where you get the best noseweight for towing, effectively using the outboard as a moveable counterweight.
There is no best place to put it. This will vary between every different trailer/boat combination.
Better of course if the outboard can be kept upright.
Iain
Can it be securely fitted on the transom ie, will it fall off or be stolen.
Once you have sorted that out the next thing is to just put the outboard where you get the best noseweight for towing, effectively using the outboard as a moveable counterweight.
There is no best place to put it. This will vary between every different trailer/boat combination.
Better of course if the outboard can be kept upright.
Iain
Lakesailor
New member
And it should have some form of protection over the prop and warning that it extends beyond the trailer board. Usually a dayglo-type bag around the leg and prop will do. Cops are keen on this.
mainmarine
New member
We usually carry the outboard in the boot, as the weight is better there than right at the rear of the tow, nose weight is a major consideration when towing, get a noseweight guage to make sure it is correct for your vehicle. try to place the heaviest moveable items over the axle, most of the snaking you see with caravans etc is because the balance of the rig is wrong. Agree with Iain, keep the motor as upright as possible [power head higher than prop] to stop water draining into the power head.
Malc
Mainmarine
Malc
Mainmarine
steve28
Active member
I have seen plenty of people launch with their outboards on the back, as soon as the boats leaving the trailer the outboads skeg hits the slipway.
This is of course down to many things like the slipway, if the outboard is lifted, the common sense of the person etc.
Please make sure you use a safety line in addition to the trailer coupling, after the accident in mylor last year it makes me shiver to see the silly things people still do.
steve
This is of course down to many things like the slipway, if the outboard is lifted, the common sense of the person etc.
Please make sure you use a safety line in addition to the trailer coupling, after the accident in mylor last year it makes me shiver to see the silly things people still do.
steve
tsmyth
New member
Out of interest, can you give a brief synopsis of the accident.
Ray
Ray
steve28
Active member
Please read yourselfs,
http://www.countygazette.co.uk/the_west_...S_NEWS04ZM.html
the end result was as far as i know,
the hitch was worn, the jockey wheel "slipped" and the trailers brakes were inoperative
http://www.countygazette.co.uk/the_west_...S_NEWS04ZM.html
the end result was as far as i know,
the hitch was worn, the jockey wheel "slipped" and the trailers brakes were inoperative
tsmyth
New member
Thank you.
Sad.
Ray
Sad.
Ray
tsmyth
New member
I have asked this question myself from time to time, and as usual, I have been given varying answers.
1. Having the motor at the back of the boat adds weight where it is not wanted and will tend to cause the trailer to sway.
2. If someone runs up your backside the motor will be damaged.
3. The motor on the back will protect the boat if 2 above.
4. The weight of the motor on the back will tend to reduce the hitch weight (here recommeded to be aboout 10% of the weight of the boat and trailer) which can result in sway.
5. The weight of the motor and vibration can damage the transom. Here, devices that attach to the trailer and support the motor are often used to avoid this. However, they often cannot be fitted to a trailer carrying a sailing boat because of the overhang of the boat.
It seems to me than on long trips the possiblity of damage to the transom is the problem. On the other hand I have carried the motor on the transom for short trips.
Also, carrying the motor in the tow vehicle reduces the tow weight.
However, in a 4 x 4 it is a good idea to lash the motor down.
I have heard of some fitting a bracket to the winch post and carrying the motor on this. However, this increases the hitch weight, and exposes the motor to possible damage from dirt and stones thrown up at the back of the tow vehicle.
I always launch with th motor on the transom. One day I forgot to tilt it and broke the leg!!!
In Australia, if a motor is carried on the transom the propellor must be removed or covered with a bag.
Ray
1. Having the motor at the back of the boat adds weight where it is not wanted and will tend to cause the trailer to sway.
2. If someone runs up your backside the motor will be damaged.
3. The motor on the back will protect the boat if 2 above.
4. The weight of the motor on the back will tend to reduce the hitch weight (here recommeded to be aboout 10% of the weight of the boat and trailer) which can result in sway.
5. The weight of the motor and vibration can damage the transom. Here, devices that attach to the trailer and support the motor are often used to avoid this. However, they often cannot be fitted to a trailer carrying a sailing boat because of the overhang of the boat.
It seems to me than on long trips the possiblity of damage to the transom is the problem. On the other hand I have carried the motor on the transom for short trips.
Also, carrying the motor in the tow vehicle reduces the tow weight.
However, in a 4 x 4 it is a good idea to lash the motor down.
I have heard of some fitting a bracket to the winch post and carrying the motor on this. However, this increases the hitch weight, and exposes the motor to possible damage from dirt and stones thrown up at the back of the tow vehicle.
I always launch with th motor on the transom. One day I forgot to tilt it and broke the leg!!!
In Australia, if a motor is carried on the transom the propellor must be removed or covered with a bag.
Ray
oldharry
Well-known member
It is common enough to carry the motor in position on the transom or bracket, and with larger engines this is the only practicable way of doing it.
The law requires that the propellor is covered so that its sharp edges cannot do damage. A propellor bag is the normally accepted way of doing this.
Any trailer is susceptible to incorrect weight loading. Nose weight is important, and should be in the region of 30 - 40 Kgs - individual manufacturers give optimum and maximum weights weights.
However, locatiojn of heavy objects on a trailer also can make them unmanageable even with the correct nose weight, and hanging an outboard on the back end of a trailed boat can make it unmanageably dangerous above quite a low speed. Even quite a small outboard can be enough to induce 'snaking' with the promise of jacknifing and writing the boat, car and you off, if you lose it.
I rember once seeing a caravan and car outfit that had lost control rolled and actually bounced over a four foot hedge, landing upside down in a field! Capsizing is bad enough on the water - ten times worse on the Motorway!!!!
The final point is whether the transom, and brackets are strong enough to take the shock loading of travelling at speed.
Having said all that, I have often travelled with the o/b in place on the transom without any problems.
Basically if the outfit feels unstable and begins to feel as if it is wandering at normal towing speed, then the problem can often be simply remedied by removing the outboard to the boot of the car, or the cabin floor over the axle. If on the other hand it rides happily without affecting the handling, then there is no need.
The law requires that the propellor is covered so that its sharp edges cannot do damage. A propellor bag is the normally accepted way of doing this.
Any trailer is susceptible to incorrect weight loading. Nose weight is important, and should be in the region of 30 - 40 Kgs - individual manufacturers give optimum and maximum weights weights.
However, locatiojn of heavy objects on a trailer also can make them unmanageable even with the correct nose weight, and hanging an outboard on the back end of a trailed boat can make it unmanageably dangerous above quite a low speed. Even quite a small outboard can be enough to induce 'snaking' with the promise of jacknifing and writing the boat, car and you off, if you lose it.
I rember once seeing a caravan and car outfit that had lost control rolled and actually bounced over a four foot hedge, landing upside down in a field! Capsizing is bad enough on the water - ten times worse on the Motorway!!!!
The final point is whether the transom, and brackets are strong enough to take the shock loading of travelling at speed.
Having said all that, I have often travelled with the o/b in place on the transom without any problems.
Basically if the outfit feels unstable and begins to feel as if it is wandering at normal towing speed, then the problem can often be simply remedied by removing the outboard to the boot of the car, or the cabin floor over the axle. If on the other hand it rides happily without affecting the handling, then there is no need.
tsmyth
New member
You might liketolook at the photographs on thissite.
http://www.careel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=411
Ray
http://www.careel.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=411
Ray