Trailering an STV-- Motor down

[keane]

So my STV Pro Comp can be trailered with the engine down with plenty of clearance from the skeg to the road. But my boat launch has shallow water, so last year I had to modified the trailer so that the boat would be lower to the ground. That left me 10 inches clearance from the bottom of the skeg to the ground when the motor is down, and since I don't know how little clearance is safe, I have been trailering it with the engine tilted and a transom saver. I'd rather trailer it with the engine down but don't know what a safe clearance from the bottom of the skeg to the ground is.

So, for you guys with low clearance from the skeg to the ground.... how much clearance do you have?
What can I safely get away with?

[patchesII]

I trailer my boat with about 12" clearance and never have an issue. At 10" I think you'll just have to be careful about what parking lots you can enter and leave but for the most part I think you'll be fine. I'm like you, I'd much rather pull with the motor straight down. I love when I see the ding dongs with their motors tilted all the way up with the skeg 4 ft off the ground. What do they think it's gonna hit? They probably have no idea of the stress they're putting on their transom.

[keane]

Yep, I know what you mean. I travel an hour one way to the lake and don't want to put anymore stress on the transom than I have to. And even with a transom saver, I'm putting additional loads on the transom.

But one hit on the ground and I'm out a lower and maybe a prop, so riding with the engine down is risky without knowing of others that have done it with similar clearances. If I could ride behind myself and see how close the skeg gets to the ground, I would have a better idea of what is going on. I was looking to possibly lower the bunks another two inches this season. That would put me about 8 inches above the ground with the skeg. Maybe I can use a universal and socket with a cordless drill, and just raise my manual jackplate for travel.

[patchesII]

8" would be too low for me

My motor weighs about 300 lbs and its straight on the transom with no setback and I still cringe going over big bumps and potholes

[Ted Stryker]

The closer you gearcase is to your axle the better,comparatively speaking... The further away your gearcase is from the axle the higher you engine must be to clear stuff like coming in and out of uphill/downhill parking lots... Most STV's I noticed has kinda rearward placed axles, so you may be alright by just being mindful of what's going on back there when not on flat ground...

[keane]

Thanks fellas, I think I'll see if there is enough room to get to the jack-screw inside the jackplate with a universal and a socket so that I can raise and lower it with a drill. Up till now, I just use a wrench to make engine height adjustments, but that won't work for routine changes in height. I was hoping that someone would say that they routinely trailer their boat with 6-8 inches of clearance on the skeg. There is one particular intersection that I have to go through that has a good sized dip in it, and that's the one that makes me nervous. There is no way around it as that is the exit from the interstate, and the only other way to go is way too bumpy. The roads here in Maine are lousy.

[Mr. Demeanor]

The stresses on your transom when running the boat in even a slight chop, turning, holeshot, etc. GREATLY outweigh whats happening going down the road with radial tires and a suspension system.
Tilt the engine up a little and put a block of wood in the bracket then lower it a little to pinch the block. I have been doing this for years on every boat I own.
IMO, a transom saver is just transmitting stress and vibration directly to the engine, not reducing it.

That of course is just my take on it....

[keane]

I actually have a spring loaded transom saver. So it helps support the engine but doesn't rigidly hold it into position. I agree, transom savers transfer stresses and no transom saver also allows for stresses. That's why I prefer to trailer with the engine down. That's the least stress of any scenario.

[patchesII]

The stresses on your transom when running the boat in even a slight chop, turning, holeshot, etc. GREATLY outweigh whats happening going down the road with radial tires and a suspension system.
Tilt the engine up a little and put a block of wood in the bracket then lower it a little to pinch the block. I have been doing this for years on every boat I own.
IMO, a transom saver is just transmitting stress and vibration directly to the engine, not reducing it.

That of course is just my take on it....

Maybe you should try trailering in Louisiana. Routinely at the top of the list of America's worst roads.

[Mr. Demeanor]

I agree. I have never heard of anyone cracking a transom while trailering unless rear ended and even then, the ones I have seen have held up incredibly well.
What about dropping your hitch ball a little? Are you perfectly level now when hooked up?

[keane]

I agree. I have never heard of anyone cracking a transom while trailering unless rear ended and even then, the ones I have seen have held up incredibly well.
What about dropping your hitch ball a little? Are you perfectly level now when hooked up?

Yep, it's level and low. Any lower and the spare tire holder in the middle of the trailer under the bow, would scrape when backing over the ramp into the water.
With the lake I use (the only one big enough for the boat) there is only one public launch, and the water is very shallow at the launch at certain times of the year.
The marinas that I can buy a membership to use their ramps, have their own set of problems. If it wasn't for that, I would leave the trailer up high, and there would be no issues.

On a side note, I should be getting around to trying out that Merc cleaver you sold me in a couple of weeks.

[rev.ronnie]

I use a transom saver with only slight pressure on it. I figure stopping bounce on bumps is probably most important.
I raise my jack plate most of the way up too, this probably will add to the motor bounce, but I have a lot of road clearance.

[RNM018]

What trailer are you towing your STV on ?
Generally speaking Aluminum Trailers have the Axel place pretty far back on the trailer , so not much of a problem .

I towed my Mirage and the Factory trailer , that was lowered atleast 3" , and never had an issue . Not sure how high the skeg was off the ground on that one .
I've always driven lowered trucks , so I think more about where and how I'm going to do something . when entering and exiting parking lots , Do Not Drive Straight In !!! Always cross the curb at an angle and you buy yiurself a fair anount of clearance that way .

Rich Martin 018

[keane]

What trailer are you towing your STV on ?
Generally speaking Aluminum Trailers have the Axel place pretty far back on the trailer , so not much of a problem .

I towed my Mirage and the Factory trailer , that was lowered atleast 3" , and never had an issue . Not sure how high the skeg was off the ground on that one .
I've always driven lowered trucks , so I think more about where and how I'm going to do something . when entering and exiting parking lots , Do Not Drive Straight In !!! Always cross the curb at an angle and you buy yiurself a fair anount of clearance that way .

Rich Martin 018

It's a factory trailer (as far as I know). These are pics when it was stock. By changing tires, using a lowering kit and dropping the bunks, I dropped it about 5 inches. If I move the fenders out some, I can drop the bunks another 2 inches. That will work for my needs, but will put me at 8 about inches between skeg and the ground. I run 6 inches of setback, which makes it worse.

[keane]

I use a transom saver with only slight pressure on it. I figure stopping bounce on bumps is probably most important.
I raise my jack plate most of the way up too, this probably will add to the motor bounce, but I have a lot of road clearance.

Yea, if I used a hydraulic jack-plate, there wouldn't be an issue. Then I would have over 15 inches of clearance with the motor down, which I know is plenty. Like I said previously, I think I'll try to figure out a way to move my manual plate up and down more quickly. And I pretty much do the same thing with my transom saver, except I try to put it in the middle of the range of the shock absorbing spring that's built into it. It's just that some of the roads up here are so bad, and because of traffic and stuff, you can't always swerve to avoid manhole covers sticking 2-3 + inches above the tar, or frost heaves left over from the winter.

I don't know why nobody ever started using shocks on trailers so that they wouldn't keep on bouncing