How do you secure your outboarder?

Jan 18, 2014
238
Hunter 260 Palm Coast, FL
How do you secure your outboarder when accidentally slipping off the motor mount?
The motor my boat came with was secured by a stainless steel cable, swagged to eyes with aluminum ferrules on each end. One end was directly looped through the rudder bold lever nut hole and on the other end to a clip shackle, which was hooked up to the outboarder on its dedicated latch hole.
This setup must have made a permanent electrolytic current which corroded/destroyed the metal latch on the Mercury outboarder.

My new outboarder is a Honda and I don’t want to use the same setup since the result is well known. The owner’s manual recommends using a line to secure the engine. What is your setup?
 

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Jun 8, 2004
10,531
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Hart;

You may have not tightend the outboard down hard enough to the motor bracket. I use to thru bolt the motor onto the motor bracket or simply lock the handles together to insure they locking handkles did not turn and loosen up. What if the motor did fall off with the engine running and if hooked to the rudder, not a good idea.
 
May 24, 2004
7,202
CC 30 South Florida
It could have been caused by dissimilar metals corrosion. Try a rubber covered cable and attach to the motor bracket away from the rudder.
 
Apr 8, 2013
205
Hunter 260 Nanaimo
As Dave stated.
Bolts though the outboard bracket with locking nuts installed is the best idea.
I have the same strap I attatch it to my outboard , but if the whole bracket came loose I cannot think what good it would do.
I have a 18hp nissan. ( sounds like overkill but my lakes at 3800 ft.