Trailering Advise Needed

[Sledge62]

No boating experience. Found an 87 Catalina 22 needing love. Have a new Tohatsu 4 hp. Have the usual mount I see on small sailboats. Springs, handle, adjustment positions. Heard this called an auxiliary mount, a kicker mount, you know the one. I'm not doing any long distance trailering. At least not yet. Just 12 miles to local lake. Have a slip. I have been told I can't go down the road with motor installed on mount. I know I've seen tralerable sailboats being towed with motors mounted. Tohatsu manual seems to say it's fine but not in the tilted position. Thought I would ask you guys?
Also while manual is clear on running times and throttle position it's kinda vague about actual procedure. So I mount this thing, remove propeller, and run it in like a trashcan or barrel of water to break in? Do I regrease prop after? Any help appreciated. Then I can go back to where do all these lines go.

 

[rgranger]

On trailering... the issue is really the strain on your transom.

take a line from winch... around the back of the OB and back to the other winch. Then tighten a little to put the strain on the winches and not your transom.
Break in... just go for a boat ride and follow the instructions .. 1/3 for 30 min... then...

 

[T_Cat]

I throw a strap around the outboard to tighten it to the rear pulpit railing. Anything to take the bouncing and downward pressure off the outboard mount. I also have a 4hp Tohatsu

 

[Sledge62]

I throw a strap around the outboard to tighten it to the rear pulpit railing. Anything to take the bouncing and downward pressure off the outboard mount. I also have a 4hp Tohatsu

Thanks for info. Did you perform any special break in on your motor? I'm thinking as rgranger said above. Common sense. Be easy and just putt for a bit. Then throttle around the lake for required time. Don't see playing in a bucket. Again thanks for info.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

Ditto on the strap stern rails. I had a 4hp Tohatsu on a Starwind 19. Strap went under the cavitation plate. Winches are usually stronger but the load isn't very high so either method works. You'll want to tow with the motor down (not tilted) and the mount in the upwards position. Having the mount in the upwards position brings the motor closer to the stern thus minimizing the load.

If youve never started this motor before, I'd suggest starting it at home in a bucket to minimize issues at the ramp

 

[SailingBill]

The issue is the weight bouncing on the mount. You don't want it bouncing or moving. That said, I carried a Honda 5 on mine for years, with the mount locked in the up position, and the motor also locked in position, to keep it from moving. I've never had any problem.

 

[Tedd]

I use a motor flusher for running the motor at home. Very handy. I do a test run before leaving home, every trip.

Boat Supplies and Parts in Canada | Steveston Marine and HardwareMoeller Motor Flusher-Univ Round Cup - 7393 | Steveston Marine CanadaBoat Supplies and Parts in Canada

Moeller Motor Flusher-Univ Round Cup 9-1190DP0CHR Description : Universal round cup

www.stevestonmarine.com

 

[Meriachee]

Im sure you could have found a nice 320 for the price you paid for that motor flusher.

 

[rgranger]

Im sure you could have found a nice 320 for the price you paid for that motor flusher.


View attachment 178722

I have some old solo-cups and garden hose lying around.... I should start making some of those and sell them for only $10,000

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Good advice tying upward. Former Hunter and Catalina dealer. If your Tohatsu is a four stroke with it’s own oil resivior read like the manual as to which side to lay it on. If on the wrong side oil may run out. Also clamps need to be tightened and put a line through the clamp or tie wrap to keep clamps secure from becoming loose. Former Tohatsu dealer

 

[Sledge62]

Good advice tying upward. Former Hunter and Catalina dealer. If your Tohatsu is a four stroke with it’s own oil resivior read like the manual as to which side to lay it on. If on the wrong side oil may run out. Also clamps need to be tightened and put a line through the clamp or tie wrap to keep clamps secure from becoming loose. Former Tohatsu dealer

I decided against mounting the motor while trailering. Learning as I go. Good ideas taking the brunt of it with lines. But after I thought about it no point putting the old girls transom through it. Not gonna save any serious time. I did see there was a correct side for transport in the manual. Would like to build a stand for travel in the pickup. Couldn't find dedicated outboard oil but have Castrol motorcycle oil rated api sg, jaso ma-2. Spent $30 on a bar lock while knowing locks are for honest folks.

 

[Sledge62]

laugh:

Yeah that's about 75-80 motors worth right there.

 

[Joe]

I decided against mounting the motor while trailering. Learning as I go. Good ideas taking the brunt of it with lines. But after I thought about it no point putting the old girls transom through it. Not gonna save any serious time. I did see there was a correct side for transport in the manual. Would like to build a stand for travel in the pickup. Couldn't find dedicated outboard oil but have Castrol motorcycle oil rated api sg, jaso ma-2. Spent $30 on a bar lock while knowing locks are for honest folks.

Caution.... only use Tohatsu or similar approved 4 stroke outboard motor oil. The NMMA's FC-W rating is paramount, here is a recent list of oil products that would work. Certification - FC-W Marine engine oil has rust inhibitors and other mysterious stuff that motorcycle engines wouldn't require.... and... mc oil may have stuff in it that would not benefit a marine motor. Just saying... it's such a small amount anyway, price difference is insignificant.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Joe is correct so you need to follow his advice

 

[Sledge62]

aution.... only use Tohatsu or similar approved 4 stroke outboard motor oil. The NMMA's FC-W rating is paramount, here is a recent list of oil products that would work. Certification - FC-W Marine engine oil has rust inhibitors and other mysterious stuff that motorcycle engines wouldn't require.... and... mc oil may have stuff in it that would not benefit a marine motor. Just saying... it's such a small amount anyway, price difference is insignificant.

Thanks Joe

 

[Sledge62]

Joe is correct so you need to follow his advice

Figured he was. Couldn't find around here. So just ordered a quantity of the good stuff. Thanks for info.

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

First there is no dumb question as we all have been thru what you are experiencing. You get a lot of good advice. So let us advise to help you.
You will learn more about the motor but tying up to the transom keeps it from bouncing up and down and that causes the damage if bouncing not the weight in your case. Being the largest small sailboat dealer in the country gave me experience and knowledge

 

[Aarrrgh!]

BRAND NEW MEMBER HERE... But I must say that my 4hp Evinrude can be removed from its drop mount in less than a minute, with one hand to lift over/through the aft railing, and store in a rope locker for travel. Is your Tohatsu 2 cycle, or 4 cycle?

 

[Aarrrgh!]

And now this newby looks up and sees that it is 4 cycle, which limits your storage options. However, It would seem to me that storing it even in a truck bed, for travel, would be the simplest option. I'm just sayin'

 

[Aarrrgh!]

Your motor should have what I can inly describe as "resting nodes" on the tiller side of the motor, at or near the widest part of the motor body. It should also have some kind of caution sticker warning you to not lay the motor down on the wrong side, which will allow your motor oil to migrate into the cylinders and possibly the carburetor, which is annoying, but not that difficult to mitigate. All of these type of motors that I have dealt with have those obvious raised, flat, resting points on the tiller side of the motor body, just below the motor shroud rubber seal, that keeps the motor from rolling or rocking while on its side..