[Rhodes22-list] Trailering with motor

[Philip Gauthier]

    I used to always trailer with the motor on the bracket. The correct answer as to whether to have the motor up or down is "NOT DOWN!!" I usually had it up however this is where the story begins. Last Saturday while on the way to the marina I was flagged over by a driver and turned out my motor mount had broken. I have the same rope/pulley setup as you. I usually had the motor vertical (not tilted) but the bracket hoisted to the top. This had the motor and bracket suspended by the rope so the force outward that would be required to break the motor slides would be difficult to achieve. My problem last weekend was that I had left the motor bracket down (or close to) and when I had hit a rough spot in the road it caused the motor to bounce and the bracket "bottomed out" thus creating an outward force large enough to break the motor slides. Fortunately I had the motor tied off to the stern rail or there would have been another $2000 lost! So now
 paranoia will force me to trailer with the motor off the bracket. The mount was easy to repair but I really have better things to do. As if the day hadn't started bad enough, 25kms from the marina I lost an outer wheel bearing on the trailer at 100kph (60mph) and was only a couple kms from losing the wheel, and ergo the boat, truck, occupants etc....... but I'm better now! Raven went in the water yesterday so we're safe, at least till fall!
 
Phil, Danielle, and Raven