trailering a BBSB with motor?

Chris S.

Chris S.

Well-known member
This is my first year hunting with a sneakbox. Do you guys trailer with the motor on the motor board? Are there any tricks or things I should know about trailering a sneakbox with the motor on? I see in some pictures that there is a strap from the lower unit hooked to the trailer. I think I read somewhere its better to put the strap to the boat rather then the trailer. Is this true? Any tips for trailering or things I should know. I plan on putting the sneakbox in next week for the first time. I can't wait and I don't wanna mess anything up. Thanks.
 
Chris, ya sound like your twitching & itching to get your "new" boat wet, don't blame ya.
1 don't rely on just the winch strap to hold the bow on the trailer, use a safety chain also.
2 I have a strap from the trailer frame-over the boat& back to the frame on the other side about 2/3 aft of the bow.
3 the strap from the motor to trailer is to keep the lower part of the motor from bouncing/slaming against the motor stops, tis a very hard thing to do to a transom of a boat. Some strap the motor down, some have a prop from the trailer to the foot of the motor to hold it up(mostly used on bigger boat/motors) some wedge a block of wood to hold the motor in a raised position. Your choice, the important thing is to keep the lower unit from bouncing up when ya hit a bump& slaming back down, very hard on motor mount boards.
Have a great time on your first run!!!
Dennis
 
Run at least 1 bolt, if not 2, thru the motor board to fasten your motor to the boat. You'd be surprised at how fast an outboard can swing off the transom both while in tow and while under power. Just be sure to mix up a little epoxy to seal the bolt holes or spread some 3M 5200 in there before you send the bolts thru.


When you gonna show us some maiden voyage pics???
 
I agree, a short chain at the bow eye, a gunnel strap around the hull and trailer aft of the cockpit, snug enought to prevent the boat from bouncing off the trailer bunks, roller, and I use a transom saver for the OB. A pr of SS bolts through the OB mounting holes and the 2" thick mahogany motorboard. The motorboard is also wrapped with SS to distribute the pressure and ensure the motormount does not scar the wood. The holes are well above the water line, I have not sealed them, and if I do it will be with epoxy, but I will over side the holes so the bolts are removable so I can pull the motor. 5200 would make it a real PITA.

Living and trailering DC traffic, I also use a deer hunting orange vest over the OB to make sure the cell phone texting idiots might notice a boat in front of them!

Dave
 
I did run the bolts through with black 5200 and used 5200 between the transom and motor board but I like the idea of a bolt in the motor board to hold it on.

I hope to take her out Wed. Afternoon. It woulda been sooner but I need to finish the floor and so a few small epoxy jobs on the inside and its been nothing but rain. So I hope to epoxy tomorrow and get her wet on weds. With pics to follow.
 
The only thing I would recomend is to add a piece on aluminum 1/2 round across the top of the motor board on the forward side.(above thumb screws) I've seen in both racing and hunting,that be the only thing that keeps the motor on the boat. Thumbscrew can work their way loose and most people don't check them that often. Its helps both trailering and on the water.
 
It was hard for to picture what you were saying as far as bolt through and seal it. And it being above the water line. I get it now. As you can see in the pics of my transom it is open in the middle so when I bolt the motor to the motor board it won't go through the transom just the board. That's why I couldnt picture what you were saying. And the the motor board is on with 5200 and four SS 3/8 bolts with nylock nuts. So I will bolt the motor on through the board and add a chain to the bow eye. I do use a ratchet strap across the boat to the trailer.
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Chris,
They are talking about bolting the motor to the board. On the maiden voyage of my broadbill
I was decelerating from speed and wound up with my hand on the tiller as the only thing holding
the motor. I don't know how I held onto that 9.9 with one hand but it was the last time I was out
without the motor bolted down.
Hope you enjoy your boat, John
 
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Wait to drill the holes to mount the motor, because there maybe some shimming or shortening of the motorboard to do.... but once it is properly trimmed, I drilled through on both sides. It will slow down a thief some too. I had to shim up 1.5 inches when I went from the OMC to the Yamaha. Everything is painted now, so it does not look like an afterthought!
 
When I trailer my boat I also try to tighten the motor mount bolts so that the handles point towards each other.... then I put a rust resistant lock through both. Keeps them from loosening up and prevents anyone with sticky fingers from walking away with my motor.
 
]When I trailer my boat I also try to tighten the motor mount bolts so that the handles point towards each other.... then I put a rust resistant lock through both. Keeps them from loosening up and prevents anyone with sticky fingers from walking away with my motor.

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I know what you mean. The clamp handles on mine are different. I have an older merc 9.8. The handles are centered on the screws. They don't have holes and are to far apart. I was able to do that with my old Johnson motor and it worked great. With this merd I will have to do a bolt through the transom and check the clamps before and after every hunt.
 
Also iy you are going to tailer far you could use a transom saver. A transom saver. It is a bracket hooks to lower unit then to trailer any marine store ha s them. They do take pressure and pounding off of the boat
 
I wouldn't trailer the boat with the motor on the transom, especially with the motor mount that you have. If you hit a big enough bump it could rip the motor board right out of the transom.....not a good day.
 
I saw the post of your restore. It is a beautiful boat I would not risk breaking it. The motor is light enough just putit on at the ramp.
 
I put the motor in the back of the pickup and attach it once I get to the ramp, face the ends together and fasten a brass lock through the eyes of the bolts so they dont work themselves loose.It would suck if you got to the ramp and something got bent,cracked,etc.from all the bouncing.
 
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