The purpose of a Transom Saver is to protect the transom of your boat from damage whilst trailering. An outboard motor is a heavy lump and even when fully tilted, it requires a transom saver in order to support the weight.

The best transom saver is the Attwood Heavy Duty Transom Saver, which is available in two different sizes and is suitable for large outboards.

Using a transom saver will reduce wear and tear of the motor pivots and hydraulics on top of protecting the transom. Many people tend to place a blank of wood to reduce movement but it still transfer the movement to the transom.

Best Outboard Transom Savers

Not every road is ultra smooth and your boat and trailer begin to bounce around as soon as you hit bumpy roads. All this bouncing causes the outboard motor to put extra strain upon transom. Using an outboard transom saver will transfer that force to the trailer frame as opposed to the transom.

They come in a range of different sizes starting from around 20 inches and span all the way to 60 inches. Therefore, regardless of the size of your outboard, there is a transom saver suitable to prevent any damage to your transom.

Whether they are essential is heavily debated online but  they do serve a purpose. Below is a list of the best transom savers that transfers the strain of your outboard from the transom to the trailer frame.

Attwood Heavy Duty Transom Saver

Large outboard motors produce a large amount of strain upon the transom and its important that you get a transom saver to suit the added weight of the outboard.

This Attwood transom saver does exactly that with a heavy duty head and all the hardware in order to stabilize the outboard motor and steering mechanism.

It is suitable for both small and large outboards as its is available in 32/44 inches and 44/56 inches. In terms of the installation, it comes with all the hardware, which makes things much easier and it a bolt on fit.

Overall, it is the best transom saver for large outboard motors and is built with a heavy duty but lightweight material thats built to last.

Extreme Max Straight Transom Saver

The Extreme Max 3005.3855 transom saver is a steel construction with a rubber ‘V’ block that stabilizes the outboard and power trim to avoid damage. It is available in two different sizes from 21 to 31 inches and 29 to 53 inches.

This straight transom saver connects to your trailers rear roller and distributes the weight from the outboard and trim to the rest of the boat. This protects the transom from additional strain and prolongs the lifespan.

Overall it is the best transom saver for the money and comes with a two year replacement warranty for peace of mind.

Attwood MD Angled Adjustable Reach Transom Saver

Attwood also offer an adjustable transom saver for your boat that fully adjusts from 30 to 60 inches reach. It also provides a unique angle adjustment from 0 to 36 degree with three 12 degree increments for an innovative design to fit most trailers.

A clever feature found on this transom saver is a locking mechanism that prevents unintentional detachment, which can cause a lot of damage if not locked. There is also heavy duty molded rubber pads that prevent scratching and the steel is coated in a black corrosion resistant paint to increase the durability.

Overall, it is the best adjustable transom saver but it does come at a price, which will put many people off. However, for those that want a cheaper adjustable transom saver, the Extreme Max below is ideal.

Extreme Max Adjustable Transom Saver

Extreme Max also produce an adjustable transom saver that is a universal fit for all trailers and is a plated finish to reduce corrosion. It also comes with the same 2 year replacement warranty for peace of mind.

It is both easy to install and easy to remove and has been designed to support your transom and distribute the motors weight. It is fully adjustable from 28 to 59 inches and comes with a range of hardware for the perfect fit.

Overall, it is the best adjustable transom saver for the money as it offers all the hardware and  compared to the other adjustable alternatives.

Five Oceans Dual-Mount Transom Bracket

Attwood and Extreme Max dominate the transom saver market but Five Oceans do provide their own take and its compatible with the majority of outboards. It is adjustable from 20 to 31 inches and constructed of heavy duty steel.

It attaches to the foot of the outboard motor and then rests on the rear beam of the trailer to reduce strain on the transom. This transom saver will also work with motors with manual trim too as it uses a bungee cord to attach to the motor.

Overall, it is a well built transom saver but compared to the Attwood and Extreme Max alternatives, it simply does not compete. Both the price and features are not as cheap or high quality.

Transom Saver Buying Guide

The requirement for a transom saver whilst towing your boat is highly debated. Many people state they are an essential whereas some say it is simply a marketing ploy to get you to spend more money on your boat. In short, the transom saver protects the transom of your boat by supporting the weight of the outboard motor and transferring the weight to the frame of the trailer as opposed to the transom.

At The Marine Lab, we feel that you can never be too safe and the risk of damaging your transom is reduced massively with a saver. Many people will use ratchet tie down straps and a plank of wood but even this will still cause wear and tear to the transom, motor and trim.

Even small outboard motors can benefits from a transom saver as they are still fairly heavy and the transom saver will support the weight.

Transom Saver Length

The length of a transom saver can range from as little as 20 inches all the way to 60 inches. Many are adjustable for a universal fit, which makes installation more straight forward when equipped with the correct hardware and fittings.

It is recommended that you use the shortest length that gives you the perfect amount of road clearance. This is because the higher the lower part is raised in the air, there is more chance of the twisting effect will occurring on the transom, which can cause additional strain.

Angled or Straight?

You may notice that the design of some of the transom savers are either straight or at an angle. Choosing between the two is dependent upon your requirements and your outboard setup and some can work with a simple straight design where as other need an angled transom saver.

Installing a Transom Saver

The transom saver simply connects to your trailers rear roller and distributes the weight from the motor and trim to the trailer and not the transom. All boats and outboards will be different so be sure to check the owners manual/documentation for further instructions.

Once installed, its important that you test and ensure that the weight is being properly supported by the transom saver. There should be limited movement whilst traveling down the road regardless of the bumps in the road.

Other Factors

When you are searching for a transom saver, you will want to ensure that it can handle your outboard motor. For example, if you have a 300 HP Yamaha outboard that weighs a lot, you will probably want to spend the extra on a heavy duty transom saver. However, if you run a 50 HP Mercury, the standard examples will be more than ideal.

All of the recommendations in this article have been coated in an anti-rust formula to resist corrosion and are built to last. On top of this, they are all well known brand for peace of mind.

Conclusion

Although it is heavily debated online, a transom saver protects the transom and any sort of protection is a worthwhile investment. Transom savers themselves are not even that expensive in the grand scheme of things and are fairly easy to use too.

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