Vibration when running...

Good Day everyone, I just picked my boat up on Saturday after being launched for the winter. I had informed the marina I would be picking it up on Saturday. When I got there the tide was out and it was sitting on the bottom. Had to wait 4 hours for the tide to come in enough for me to move it out. In the past the marina always moved my boat around to the dock after launching. However there is now a new owner and since I personally did not tell them to tow it around they left it at the launch point. The boat was set in the water on Thursday so 4 times it went thru low tide and sat on the bottom.

After picking it up and cruising it to the marina where I keep it for the summer I noticed a vibration when cruising. If the prop shaft got bent how do yo check it? Is there anything else I should check?

I have a 1996 370 Sundancer with 7.4 gas engines.

Thanks for your support.
Barry

Going through that right now... I have a bent shaft.. gotta come out of the water again.... You can check by the prop end with a dial indicator.. For you i don't think just sitting in the mud will bend a shaft... But def could have bent a prop or knocked it out... When was the last time you checked your alignment??? And how about your cutless bearings? Just FYI a vibration on V-drives can get expense quick...

My 420 stays in the water year round. We had a blow-out tide during one of the Nor'Easters and she sat on the bottom for a cycle or two. When I took her out for the first run, I noticed a vibration on the Port side. On the recommendation from my training Captain, we proceeded slowly, at idle speed. We have about a 3 mile no wake zone, before we can get up on plane. After a bit of idling, the vibration ceased. We had no vibration at cruising speeds. I am convinced that there was mud/stick/something lodged between the prop blades from having sat down in the mud. She ran fine when we brought her up to cruise speed.

I've had her out twice since then, and there has been zero sign of a vibration. In my case, it was a transient event. Hope you find it to be the same.

Jaybeaux

I hate to say this but, the best way to check the running gear to to come back out and see the gear. It's still cheaper that running with a bent prop or shaft.

Could you have picked up some netting or line? What's the bottom like where she was sitting? Mine lives in the water, we had one blowout tide and she was in the mud. I had a bent blade and had to come out.

Before you go through the expense of a haul-out why don't you hire a diver to inspect the prop and shaft. If the prop has a nick in it the diver can remove it in the water.

Thanks MikeBrave, I was thinking about the same thing. When I take it out if it is still doing it that is what I will do first. Thank YOu