What your motor is trying to tell you.

Vibrations in a boat are never like the good ones the Beach Boys sang about. They’re an indication that something in your propulsion system is out of whack. If you start feeling that quavering sensation, here’s a quick rundown that should help diagnose the problem.

First, check the propeller. A vibration often follows an accidental impact with a submerged object that you didn’t feel or your kids didn’t tell you about. A bent blade is usually the culprit. In a worst-case scenario a blade might be missing. This happens on go-fast boats because their high-output engines twist the blade right off during acceleration.

If your prop(s) seem fine, work your way forward to the propshaft. A stern drive is more forgiving because its shorter shaft links to the engine with two universal joints, which are also known as [Read more...]