Motor hydrolic tilt question

[Genelie]

So here is a simple question, no answer is a wrong answer...I was just wondering what do you do when you park your boat.

Do You lower motor all the way down untill she rest on the ground

Do you raise the motor up and have her rest on a transom savor

I ask, because both ways still leaves pressure on the hydrolics..I just wonder of one way makes a diff or not.

[k9reno]

I find putting it away with the motor down alows any water to drain or not even gather from rain while sittintg. Also the stainless shafts are withdrawn into the cylinder and protected from the weather.

[NCangler]

I do the same as K9reno. I also have a motor cover to keep birds from nesting in the motor.

[tfink]

k9reno,

Your suggestions are exactly what my dealer told me to do when storing for the winter. I also put the original shipping cover over the Sunbrella cover because my boat is in a barn and I don't want the bird droppings on the Sunbrella cover.

[Troll]

When storing the boat for any amount of time, I lower the engine until the skeg is about 1 inch from the ground. This way water seems to drain from the engine or other parts and the engine is in more of a natural running position than if tilted up with a transom saver. It makes it more accurate to then check the oil level in the engine before the next trip. I also put a canvas cover over the engine to help protect the paint.

I do not lower the engine until some of the engine weight is on the ground. Should the boat get bumped while in storage, I fear that extra strain might be placed on the motor as it might not want to move.

Troll

[Putershark]

I cover my engine even though it gets used just about every week. I also lower it till it touches the ground. Now I have a skeg guard on my lower unit so I am not worried it hurting anything. Now mine is parked over (what else) sand so I use the engine to help take a little weight stress off of the transom

[fridaysoff]

I read the Yamaha engine owners manual and it advised to store engine in upright/running position. Is there not a certain position that every motor manf. recommends? I dig a hole in my yard where the motor sits when I park my boat. I fill the hole with rocks/pebbles. I can then lower my motor to the lowest trim setting. the motor drains as it is supposed to do and I can hook up the ear muffs and run the engine. The water drains better in the ground with the rocks underneath.
JD