Transom Saver Question

[nomad60]

When I first bought my Crestliner VT-17 (with a Mercury 75HP 4-stroke), I had a friend with me who knows boats and he asked the dealer about supplying us with a transom saver and the dealer told us that with the trim lever (or whatever it's called, it's the swing-up lever on the left side of the motor), I wouldn't need a transom saver. Well, my friend found that a bit odd but we went with it...I happened to be going through my motor manual not too long ago to check something out and I found a paragraph which states NOT to tow the motor with only that lever as the support.

When I recently took the boat to a local boat service center (not the dealer, LOL) to have my hot foot worked on, I mentioned needing a transom saver and after looking at the way my trailer is made, especially with that light bar in the way, they suggested I take the trailer to a local welding shop and have them weld a bracket and roller on there. That seems like a pain in the butt and I can't believe Crestliner didn't figure this all into the equation...

So, to make an already long story from being even longer, I'm curious if anyone else has a similar trailer and what you're doing for a transom saver. Also, does anyone have any experience with something like this?

http://www.lock-n-haul.com/_index.php

Thanks!

[MNfisher]

Wow! I can't believe they told you a transom saver wasn't necessary.

They have transom savers with long arms and have just a piece of a 1/2" or so rod at the end that is a few inches long. You might be able to get one of those and drill a hole in the trailer frame for the rod to slide into. I believe this is how StriperFan's boat is set up.

[Jdkxtreme]

I do not have a real input. But I bet a bracket can be fabbed up with little to no problem with a welder.

On a side note, Those two transducers must be the equivalent to dual exhaust on a truck..lol

[MNfisher]

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/13443779855157148735?safe=off&client=safari&hl=en&biw=320&bih=416&q=transom+saver+&oq=transom+saver+&sa=X&ei=lK8fUvu1EMG6sASyjIC4Dw&ved=0CHsQ8wIwCA#hsec:overview

This one may work.

[nomad60]

Wow! I can't believe they told you a transom saver wasn't necessary.

Yep, they sure did. And the same dealer told me after first installing my hot foot that it was normal for the foot pedal not to spring back when I removed my foot...that's why I took it to another boat place. Turns out the dealer kinked the throttle cable when they were installing the hot foot.

[nomad60]

I do not have a real input. But I bet a bracket can be fabbed up with little to no problem with a welder.

On a side note, Those two transducers must be the equivalent to dual exhaust on a truck..lol

The one on the right is for the factory installed black & white unit installed on the dash. The small one on the left side and the LSS on far left are my sonar and side imaging transducers for my HDS-9 touch. I'm thinking of putting a HDS 7 Elite with down imaging on the bow which would add yet another transducer on the rear LOL

[nomad60]

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/13443779855157148735?safe=off&client=safari&hl=en&biw=320&bih=416&q=transom+saver+&oq=transom+saver+&sa=X&ei=lK8fUvu1EMG6sASyjIC4Dw&ved=0CHsQ8wIwCA#hsec:overview

This one may work.

Thanks...I'll do a little research into that one!

[Travis C.]

Heres mine. The lower end rests on the roller.

[tkwalker]

When I first bought my Crestliner VT-17 (with a Mercury 75HP 4-stroke), I had a friend with me who knows boats and he asked the dealer about supplying us with a transom saver and the dealer told us that with the trim lever (or whatever it's called, it's the swing-up lever on the left side of the motor), I wouldn't need a transom saver. Well, my friend found that a bit odd but we went with it...I happened to be going through my motor manual not too long ago to check something out and I found a paragraph which states NOT to tow the motor with only that lever as the support.

When I recently took the boat to a local boat service center (not the dealer, LOL) to have my hot foot worked on, I mentioned needing a transom saver and after looking at the way my trailer is made, especially with that light bar in the way, they suggested I take the trailer to a local welding shop and have them weld a bracket and roller on there. That seems like a pain in the butt and I can't believe Crestliner didn't figure this all into the equation...

So, to make an already long story from being even longer, I'm curious if anyone else has a similar trailer and what you're doing for a transom saver. Also, does anyone have any experience with something like this?

http://www.lock-n-haul.com/_index.php

Thanks!

Nomad ... I have run across this before ...( I don't think Crestliner had Anything to do with this trailer) I would bet that the trailer you have was a local built trailer that the local dealer you bought it from was hawking ...(lower cost to him and more profit) By your pic's I am pretty sure of that fact ... The bunk standards are made of aluminum from standard extrusions ... It was not built from a well known trailer manufacture or standard ... ...

Now I will have to check my supplier books but there use to be a motor totter out there that had a square receiver that was bolted on the cross member right above the center passage light ... An easy fix ... But most legit Trailer Mfr's went with the transom roller years ago ... I'll check in the morn when I go to my shop ... <'TK>< :o

[nomad60]

Thanks TK (and others) for the help and suggestions. I'm a little hesitant about getting something welded because that means taking the boat off the trailer and leaving the boat at the marina (sort of) unattended while the work is being done. Not sure I'd want anyone welding on the trailer with the boat on there, with 24 gallons of gas in it LOL.

I went ahead and ordered the lock-n-haul product; it's not too expensive and if it works, it'll be much better than what I have now (nothing) and in the meantime, I can continue to research ways to get a real transom saver on there.

[tkwalker]

Go on the web and check out swivl-eze transom saver model 400-B <'TK>< :)

[Jdkxtreme]

Here is mine. It is something like what TK is talking about ( I think ). It is a square tube that slides over a square bolted to the frame.

[tkwalker]

Here is mine. It is something like what TK is talking about ( I think ). It is a square tube that slides over a square bolted to the frame.

Really can't make it out in the pic ... But the description sounds dead on .... <'TK>< :)

[nomad60]

In the attached pic, is this the bracket you guys are talking about? I'll have to go to a store and look at them but it looks like that bracket would mount on the trailer right above the lights, at a 90 degree angle, parallel to the ground...but the transom saver comes in at about a 45 degree angle so I'm having a hard time picturing how the bracket and rod would mate up correctly to give good support.

[tkwalker]

In the attached pic, is this the bracket you guys are talking about? I'll have to go to a store and look at them but it looks like that bracket would mount on the trailer right above the lights, at a 90 degree angle, parallel to the ground...but the transom saver comes in at about a 45 degree angle so I'm having a hard time picturing how the bracket and rod would mate up correctly to give good support.

Nomade ...The receiver that mounts to the trailer is made with the end of it at a 45 deg. angle ... It does not stub out straight (@ 90 deg.) Unless they have changed them but I don't think so ...

But on the bolt on model receiver in your pic , how it works is that the support Bar saddles in between the receiver with a hitch pin that goes through it letting it swivel to any position (angle) <'TK>< :)

[Jdkxtreme]

Here is a better pic

[nomad60]

Thanks, that would definitely work for me!