The boat motor sits in a neutral position when the propeller is parallel with the top of the water and the motor shaft is at a 90 degree angle. This position normally provides the most efficient operation of the motor and boat in normal conditions.
How should an outboard sit on a boat?
A boat rigger’s rule of thumb is that the motor can be raised one inch for each eight to 10 inches of distance between the transom and prop As the prop moves further aft, it’s also likely to be in cleaner, “harder” water, and be more efficient.
What position should boat motors hold?
The best way is to either leave the motor on the boat or on an engine stand in an upright position, not tilted If neither of these are an option, try to make sure that the engine is in an upright, self-draining position. If you can’t do this, be sure that the cooling system is drained completely.
How low should a boat motor sit?
If you have a short shaft motor, the top most part of the transom and the lower most part of the boat should be about 15 to 16 inches For a long shaft, I think 20 to 21 inches is correct.
What is normal transom angle?
The transom angle is the vertical incline of the transom and is measured in degrees. The boat transom can be flat with zero degree angles. Or it can have an angle degree as high as 30. The average transom angle is around 14 degrees.
How do you know if your outboard is too low?
An outboard that is mounted too low will limit your boat’s optimal operation. You can often tell that an outboard is too low if you are experiencing sluggish speeds, poor handling, excessive spray, porpoising, or even water pushing up into the cowling.
How do you know if your outboard is too high?
Too high usually results in low water pressure, prop letting go in turns, or lack of bow lift are usually the telltale signs. Sometimes porpoising is caused by too much bow lift and dropping the motor will give it more bite and make it worse. That deep v isn’t going to run like a pad hull, carrying the nose high.
Should boat motor be stored up or down?
When you park the boat for the winter keep the motor trimmed or tilted down , especially if it’s outdoors. This will allow all of the water to drain out of the motor’s cooling system. If it’s tilted up, some water may remain in the motor, where it can freeze and cause a cracked block or a ruined water pump housing.
Should outboard motor be up or down when trailering?
Generally, you should tow your boat with the motor down , especially if your trailer offers good ground clearance. Additionally, most manufacturers recommend that you should pull your boat down. However, you can choose to tow with the motor up if you desire ground clearance.
Should outboard be left up or down?
It’s best to tilt your outboard up when leaving your boat in the water to prevent marine growth from forming and from corrosion eating away at its metal parts.
What height should an outboard motor be set at?
According to MarinePartsMan.com, the outboard can be raised 1 inch above the standard height for every 10 miles per hour of speed the boat can attain. However, the motor should not be raised more than 5 inches above the standard position.
How do you find the transom angle?
Measuring The Transom Angle (Degrees): Slide forward until the short side of the rule (16″) touches the transom straight up. Measuure the distance from the keel point to the inside corner of carpenter’s square ruler (see sketch). Each 1/4″ is equal to 1° degree.
Will raising outboard increase RPM?
Will Raising My Outboard Increase Rpm? Every engine can be raised to maximize speed, rather than having too little pressure applied to the engine. With too much moisture in your room, the top speed will drop, but the top RPM will increase as it is exposed to more slip, with less ventilated room.
What is deadrise on a boat?
But what is it exactly? Put quite simply, it is the angle between a horizontal plane and the hull surface A boat with “a lot of deadrise” is a boat with a deeper, sharper V-shaped hull.
What is a transom on a boat motor?
A transom is the vertical reinforcement which strengthens the stern of a boat This flat termination of the stern is typically above the waterline.
Should cavitation plate be underwater?
Re: Cavitation Plate your cavitation plate should be right at the water level As a rule of thumb it should be 1 inch above the hull for every 12 inches back. (if you have a eurotransom, or bracket or something.) If your cavitation plate is under water you might get better performance if you raise the motor.
Why does the front of my boat go up?
Porpoising, or the bow bobbing up and dow, is caused by over-trimming at cruising speed ; there’s no longer enough hull in the water to support the weight of the boat. Either trim down a little until the porpoising stops, or increase boat speed slightly to create more lifting force under the hull.
Where should the cavitation plate be on a boat?
The dealer set it at 1/2″ above the bottom of the hull when the motor is sitting level or straight up and down When the motor is trimmed all the way down it is 1/2″ below the bottom of the boat but when trimmed up just a little there is slippage or some cavitation.
Can you lay an outboard motor down?
When you are storing a boat motor, you can never lay it on its side because you can possibly damage it or because of how fuel may end up leaking all over the place if you leave it lying on its side for prolonged periods of time.
Should you store your boat with the transom saver on?
UNLESS where you live has temperatures at freezing or below. Then you most definitely should take it off the transom saver and lower your engine as far as you can so the water can run out. I always take my transom saver off when I park my boat in the garage, even in the summer.
Which side do you lay a 4 stroke outboard?
It’s almost never a good idea to lay an outboard motor down on its side or back. This is doubly true in the winter, when moisture from condensation needs to drain from the motor. Evinrude/Johnson emphatically states that four-stroke motors must be stored upright and recommends this for all other motors.
How do you tell if your boat needs a short or long shaft?
Measure from the top of your transom to the bottom of your keel If it is from 15″ to 17″ long you’ll need to get a Tohatsu outboard with a “short” shaft. If it is from 20″ to 22″ long you’ll need our “long” shaft outboard.
Why are boat transoms angled?
This degree angle allows for the thrust of the prop to help “pop” the boat on plane A drive may have alittle “tuck under” designed into its trim range. Couple this with the transom angle and you have the angle that the prop can drive the stern up, pushing the bow down.
What is the stern of a boat?
Stern. The stern of the boat refers to the rear of the boat Most boats will have seating, a swim platform, a ladder, and an engine located in the stern.
What happens if my outboard is mounted too low?
If the outboard is too low, it creates excessive drag, which cuts into speed and fuel efficiency If it’s too high, the propeller tends to ventilate, losing its bite on the water and blowing out while turning and in steep seas.
What should I spray on my outboard motor?
Treat your engine with silicone spray Every second or third trip, remove the hood of your outboard (make sure the engine is turned off and cool to the touch) and apply a thin film of silicone spray to the power head. Be sure to use a type of silicone spray that won’t damage rubber and plastic.
How do you raise the height of an outboard motor?
You can adjust your motor height with you tongue jack! put blocks/wood under your motor raise the jack to take pressure off the bolts, pull out top bolts and loosen the bottom bolts. adjust the height by cranking the jack then re insert bolts at the desired location….
Is my boat motor high?
The symptoms of a motor too high are cavitating on the hole shot , otherwise if the boat has a good hole shot in my opinion you can’t get the motor too high. Less motor in the water is less drag. Your boat is porpoising because it is running good and the hull is making and breaking suction with the water.
How do you stop prop cavitation?
In order to reduce the possibility of cavitation happening in marine propellers, a set of nozzles are placed on the hull of the ship directly in front of the propeller These nozzles spray out compressed air over the propeller that creates “a macro bubble”.
At what temperature will a boat motor freeze?
Unwinterized boat engines can freeze any time the air temperature is below 28°F (-2°C) – for an extended period. Freshwater cooled engines without proper coolant can freeze below 32°F (0°C). The good news is you can prevent freeze damage fairly easily.
Do outboards self drain?
All of the water passages in an outboard will self drain Turning the engine over on while out of the water is not going to expel any water.that will only damage the water pump impeller.
Can you leave a boat motor outside in winter?
So, can boats be stored outside in the winter? You can keep boats outside in the winter if you provide adequate protection against harsh weather But you can’t simply park the boat on your driveway as most people do during the boating season. Leaving your boat outside during the cold season can damage the boat.
How do I stop my boat motor from turning?
If you want to keep the motor straight, you can always just put a bungee around the tiller handle if it is a tiller, or around the steering wheel, and tying it off to a close by support to keep the motor from moving ,. I use a bungee cord to a windshield support.
Does mercury recommend a transom saver?
A lot of boaters advocate using your engine’s service or engine lock. While there is a lot of debate on the transom savers or motor support issue, we do not recommend trailering using your service/engine lock for engine support when trailering. Both Yamaha and Mercury recommend against it as well.
Should a boat motor be in the water?
Should I leave my engine up or down? Simply put, if you are leaving the boat in the water, leave it in the up position to avoid growth If you are leaving it out of the water, trim it down to drain the water and protect the Power Tilt and Trim seals from the sun.
Can I leave my boat in the water all year?
A boat can be left in the water during the winter or year-round if you take necessary precautions to tackle the challenges of a boat being in the waters for long periods However, you need to keep in mind that there is always a risk correlated with storing the boat in the water than dry storing.
Is it OK to leave an outboard in the water?
Yes, both may have saltwater, but the latter will usher more growth in hot areas than in cold ones. Thus, it will be safe for your boat to leave the outboard engine up when in the water and just trim it down when you take it out of the water.
How far should the prop be below the boat?
If you have a short shaft motor, the top most part of the transom and the lower most part of the boat should be about 15 to 16 inches For a long shaft, I think 20 to 21 inches is correct.
How low should my outboard sit in the water?
A boat rigger’s rule of thumb is that the motor can be raised one inch for each eight to 10 inches of distance between the transom and prop As the prop moves further aft, it’s also likely to be in cleaner, “harder” water, and be more efficient.