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MartyC
05-04-2003, 01:32 PM
Took my boat out for the third time Saturday. First two times it ran great. Saturday, I had been going for a few minutes when I started to feel a pretty serious vibration. Did not hit anything. I stopped for a few minutes and looked around best I could (too cold to get in). I started back up and it ran fine. Ran several miles down the lake and back at 30-40 mph with no problems. As I was pulling back into the cove where the ramp was, it started vibrating slightly again. Not as bad as before. Looked closely at the prop and shaft when I got it on the trailer and did not see anything unusual. Any thoughts?

Brian Raymond
05-04-2003, 09:53 PM
Check and make sure the prop. nut has not backed off a thread or two. Document and tell your servicing dealer, this is an issue you will want to have looked at during the 10-20 hr. service. The dealer should check for any prop. inperfections and alignment during this service. They will be able to render your situation. Brian Raymond

05-05-2003, 09:23 AM
Thanks Brian. I did not mention that it is a '01 Outback. I bought it this winter and it was the third time I have had it out. Sorry. I will check the prop tonight. If it does appear to have backed off slightly, is that something I could tighten with a wrench or does a pro need to do that?
Another question, when I was under the boat looking at it after I got it out of the water, I noticed a chunk out of the wooden runner on the left side of the trailer at the back. The carpet was cut and a sizable chunk out of the wood. I never noticed this before. My question is, with the guide poles on the trailer is it even possible that the prop could have hit the runner while trailering? If so, I would think that I would have felt it. Maybe it happened when the last guy had it. I just thought it was odd. Thanks.

MartyC
05-05-2003, 09:31 AM
Thanks Brian. I did not mention it was a '01 Outback. I bought it over the winter but have only had it out 3 times. I will check the prop tonight. If it has backed off slightly, is that something I could tighten with a wrench or should it be done by a pro.
Another question, when I was under the boat looking at the prop and all, I noticed a chunk out of the runner on the left side. It was cut through the carpet and a sizable chunk of wood was gone. With the guide poles on that trailer, is it even possible for the prop to hit the runners while putting the boat on the trailer? If it had happened while I was putting it on, I think for sure I would have noticed a bump or a noise or something. Maybe it happened before I bought it. Thanks.

Brian Raymond
05-05-2003, 11:12 PM
MartyC, the prop nut takes a inch and a sixteenth socket, preferably a 6 point deep, half inch drive (for leverage). Boatmate trailers design them to ALMOST load failure safe. There will be some circumstances that are unavoidable and can't be built into the boat or trailer, such as, ramp angle, water depth, hitch hieghth, and experience. The boat may have gone past the bow stop and hit the runner. Brian Raymond

MartyC
05-07-2003, 05:36 PM
Brian-
Did very close visual inspection last night. Prop bolt is on tight, pin is through end and everything looks brand new. Looked over entire prop closely and ran hand along every inch. No nicks or scratches at all. One thought, when I felt the vibration, I was almost to the end of the tank of gas that was put in it last fall before it was winterized. Could the vibration have just been from old or bad gas going through the carb? It is just weird that it ran great for several miles after I felt the vibration. Thanks for taking time with my stupid questions. I am going to try to run it this weekend with a fresh tank of premium and see how it does.

Catdog1
05-10-2003, 03:18 AM
Our lake has some kind of weeds taking over. One day we ran over a crop of them and had a badvibration. I slowed down and did a quick reverse of the prop. This seemed to clear the weeds and the vibration... Happened a couple more times and worked each time.

Now, couple years later, I have a more steady, light vibration and I think the rubber lined cutlass bearing in the strut needs replacement but I can't figure out how to tap it out without removing the prop shaft.