Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Hello friends.... was wondering if any of you use a transom saver on your pontoon boat. I was over at my boat dealership this afternoon to pick up some rod holders and I noticed some of thier toons out on the lot had transom saver bars attached. Until today I don't think I've ever seen a toon with one. Now these are the short bars, not the usual long ones you see on bass and other rigs... I asked one of the salesman if they were really necessary and all he said was " got one on my toon ". Just curious.. oh and I've seen a term mentioned in this forum several times, but have no idea what it means... what are "ear muffs"? Keep it clean boys

Roland
2010 Bennington 20SFi
Yamaha 75 hp 4 stroke

I dont have the savers. As for ear muffs. That is an attachment that goes on the garden hose to run your engine in the yard or to flush out saltwater. Goes over the lowerunit ate the cooling intake.

I use a transom saver. I have a lift trailer and the lower unit on my motor sits to low for my likeing. Works great for me.

Trott and Rcl700, thanks so much for the quick replys. As for the transom saver, I don't think they're very expensive so I'll probably get one this weekend.. with regard to the "earmuffs". I must have missed something when my boat salesman went over the "hooking up the hose to my motor " lesson. As I understood it, there's a line with a plastic coupling that I can just unscrew, and then attach a water hose so that I can start my motor out of the water... He never mentioned anything like the ear muffs that you pictured. Wonder why he never mentioned that? oh well, thanks again guys.. I really appreciate it.

Roland
2010 Bennington 20 SFi
Yamaha 75 hp 4 stroke.

Roland,

My toon came from the dealer with a transom saver. I think every boat on their lot had one installed. I think it is real cheap insurance against long term stress fractures and I use it everytime I tow.

Most of the newer motors have the plastic plug to attach a garden hose. Not sure what year they started putting them on. I don't have a transom saver. I trailer with the motor vertical, just trim it up to come up the ramp and then back to vertical. I say whatever makes you feel comfortable, never can be to safe, and it would provide support.
doc

My saver is near 3 ft long. With extended transom the are a necessity.
A hose muff in my opinion is a necessity
The place to hook hose I believe is to flush motor if in salt water not to run motor

My engine is 8 inches over the road so my stays straight down, no saver needed

You MUST be running water through the engine when you start it when its NOT in the lake.
Running it even for 30 seconds may be enough to do some damage.
Water goes IN through the water pickup holes.
You MUST... repeat...MUST be running water into there, and it MUST be running out onto the ground out the out take...ie flowing THROUGH the engine, when ever its running....

I dont have a transom saver, but then mines an i/o and even in the full down, its way off the ground.
If i had a outboard, id use one....

I trailer my boat with the motor down and it is high off the road so no transom saver is needed. If you trailer with the motor in a tilt up position it puts more strain on the transom so you will probably need a saver.

I don't use a transom saver on my outboard either. I travel with the motor down, and it is about 10" above the road, so I should be good. I have watched when backing in or goind down inclines/declines, and it gets close. I just make it a point not to go into many spots that have that big of an incline/decline. Hell my truck sits lower than the boat does anyway, so if the motor hits.... I've got bigger problems.

margaritaman wrote:I trailer my boat with the motor down and it is high off the road so no transom saver is needed. If you trailer with the motor in a tilt up position it puts more strain on the transom so you will probably need a saver.

Mine came with the transom saver and dealer told me that trips over a mile or so it should be used. So when we take it to lake we don't use it as we only have a 1/2 mile to ramp but to go refuel I use it.

Roland, The transom saver is a good idea. All Sun Tracker trailers now come with them and they will not warrant their motor pod welds if they are not used. You do need the muffs if you run the motor out of water. The hose attachment built into the motor is only for flushing the motor after saltwater use.

From the Mercury Oweners Manual concerning flushing with a water hose .....

Page 60 - "IMPORTANT: The engine must be run during flushing in order to open the thermostat and circulate water through the water passages."

Page 61 - "IMPORTANT: Do not run the engine above idle when flushing."

The complete procedure for flushing is listed on these pages.

"Trott and Rcl700, thanks so much for the quick replys. As for the transom saver, I don't think they're very expensive so I'll probably get one this weekend.. with regard to the "earmuffs". I must have missed something when my boat salesman went over the "hooking up the hose to my motor " lesson. As I understood it, there's a line with a plastic coupling that I can just unscrew, and then attach a water hose so that I can start my motor out of the water... He never mentioned anything like the ear muffs that you pictured. Wonder why he never mentioned that? oh well, thanks again guys.. I really appreciate it."

Roland

I was informed by my bennington dealer that that hose hookup is a backflush and NOT to run the motor with the hose hooked up to that port. he said that you would endup hydrolocking the motor.

now that i said that I have pretty much the same boat same motor that is for sure. it is in the manual how to flush the motor. ear muffs are cheap just pick up a pair every boat owner should have one. they are nice for flushing not only salt water but sand. also if you do use the flush port dont use to much pressure you could blow some seals.

better safe then sorry


and i dont use a transome saver my motor is all the way down when i travel