Yes. Do what you need to do to avoid any minute chance of the skeg/prop
from touching the bottom. On my trailer, with it level, I can't lower the
engine all the way without hitting the ground. If driving on the trailer, I
tend to tilt the motor all the way up with the "trim button" (not the
"trailer" button for full tilt). Depending upon the draft of your boat,
with the motor in full down position, you might could hit the bottom, even
with the bunks half way in the water. On a first attempt you'd be better
off not being able to make it all the way up than to chew up your skeg
and/or prop. Every hull and trailer is unique and then throw in the
different ramp angles and it just takes experience! On my 20' boat I
usually get my vehicle wheels to the water's edge while having about half of
the bunks exposed. The varying ramp angles will dictate how close my
vehicle wheels (or how far in) are to the water.

"RB" wrote in message
news
When doing a drive-on trailer loading, with outboards, what is the rule of
thumb as how much to tilt the engine up? I see different amounts of tilt
used.

I know we lose thrust the higher up the engine is tilted. Maybe there's
enough to work with, even with the engine all the way up, though. Is this
the case? If so, guess it makes sense to run it tilted all the way up for
loading.

Is the only reason to bring the engine up at all just so your lower unit
might not hit the ramp in the process of getting the boat on the trailer?