Saving Old Seagulls

I posted in the "help" forum earlier about my drooling motor, and as a side note, I thought some here might be interested in this.
Since Seagulls DO leak a bit, and since I need to trailer my boat, I wanted to have a non-messy way to transport the motor.
We drive an SUV, so putting it in the back wasn't a great idea, and I didn't want it banging around in the cockpit.
And I don't like it hung on the transom while traveling, so I came up with this : It's just 1.5" tubing, that I cut and welded for a 15º angle, to match the transom mount - A couple welded tabs mount it with some U-bolts.
I filled it in in with a piece of 2x6 lumber, and "Bob's yer uncle", as they say.
I think I'm going to make up some kind of safety cable for it, though, just in case - It needs one for the transom mount, anyway
Anyway, I'm sure others have done this kind of thing before, but maybe it will give someone an idea. And before someone mentions the tank - It was pretty well rusted outside (not inside, though), and I had to do something.
I painted it with the darkest blue rust paint I could find, but of course it's not a match for the original blue.
I did bake it (200º F, for an hour), and it seems fuel-proof, so far - We shall see .........

Try for 5 miles then stop & check to see if the transom screws cup washers are not slipping on the steel box section & the lower unit isn't bouncing against the trailer & that on a sharp left turn your Seagull doesn't hit your tailgate.

I check everything, a LOT - It probably drives my wife crazy :~)

I'd play things safe and tie everything down with a cargo strap. We call them ratchet straps over here. The kind of thing that truckers use for securing loads.
Charles makes a good point when turning left or right in that the lower unit will want to "swing" outwards, possibly ending in disaster or complete detachment from its transom mounting altogether.There's not much that secures the bent pin holding the motor to the mounting other than a snap-fit. Unless your roads are nice and flat with no pot holes, chances are there will be a lot of "bouncing" and vibrations at the trailer side. A little seagull perched on a length of metal box section/timber relying purely on how tight the thumbscrews are tightened is perhaps chancing your luck.


I'm lucky in that inside the back of my van i fabricated a metal bulkhead behind the rear seats from which to hang my motors as though they were mounted onto a boat. I can hang 4 motors across its entire width with room to spare. With both rear doors securely locked there's very little chance of anything working its way loose again, and i still have plenty of room for all the other paraphernalia that goes with boating.
Suv's are different again. I've just bought one and will need to do something similar if i'm going to get my boat out this year.

Another idea:
Maybe a metal box with a lid that you could lock with a padlock somehow welded or bolted direct to your trailer chassis might be a more secure way of transporting your little gull rather than mounting it upright. Perhaps your trailer supplier has a list of accessories that you could buy some brackets etc. purpose built for your trailer from which you could fabricate a box onto the brackets.You could then pack the inside of the box with some soft padding to avoid any damage to your gull. A few small holes drilled into the bottom of the box to allow any water to drain away and voila! Any nasty fuel smells will be outside the towing vehicle as well. Just remember to remove the gull from the box before you launch the boat

Jon

You're right about securing it - I have a bunch of ratchet straps, and I'll use one of those in any case.
I also thought of drilling through the the thumbscrew handles, and using a long shackle padlock through them.
There are some outboards I've seen with that feature. Might keep it from walking away, when I'm not watching ........

It doesn't look like there's any extra room on the trailer, other than the location I'm using now, for a box of any kind.
Otherwise, it's a really good idea - I might try it for my other / next boat
I don't think hitting it with the car while turning will be a problem, especially if the motor's turned "fore n' aft" .
I think the car would actually contact the bow of the boat first, but you're right, and I will absolutely check first, before making a move .
You can be sure of that !

I used to have a van, a big one, and I'd have done something like what you describe in a heartbeat, if I still had it :~)
Alas, the Ford Expedition we have now is a bit more "refined", and I don't think motors are allowed in there now.

Tom

Well, whether by accident or intent, you guys have managed to make me paranoid !
Although I didn't originally think there would be a problem, after elaborate calculations, I convinced myself that under extreme circumstances, the car could contact the motor foot.
So, I modified my original design to incorporate a "crash bar".
I measured everything possible, and I now believe the farthest point (pretty far out) of the rear plastic bumper will hit the roll bar first.
I'd almost have to jackknife the trailer to do it, but at least it should alert me that I'm doing something wrong, before further mayhem.
As you can see, it protects the motor, no matter it's orientation.
So, with one or more ratchet straps securing it, and my new "improved" mount, I'm hoping it will be at least marginally safe

Nice job there china BUT if you thought it was close the first time it's gonna be much closer now I'd be getting someone to watch whilst i gave it full lock both ways why not make the bracket between the jockey wheel handle and the bow of the boat...

Sigh ......... Somehow I just knew there'd be no satisfying you folks
Actually, I didn't think it was all that close before - Everyone else did, though.
The bar just sticks out a little more than the motor foot - I think the camera angle makes it look much more "protuberant", than it really is.

Really, to hit the bar with the car bumper, I'd have to be just about jackknifed - Something I try to avoid in any case .
But I invariably sail with my wife, and I let her back the car down, while I watch - She's better at backing trailers than I am, anyway .

And I'd move it back if I could, but the winch post is in the way, and the winch crank handle just misses it now.
I'm limited by spacial constraints ..........