Found the bottom

agriman

agriman

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Last weekend after 38 years of boating I stuck our 350 1998 Mariner on a sand bar. After getting help to shove her off I noticed the bilge pump is now pumping out every 45 minutes. I assume I have loosen one of the V drive shafts or rudder post. With a generator between two 454 Crusaders there isn't much room to see. Does anyone have experience with tightening either of these.
 
You really do need to determine the actual source of the leak. Lots of lights and mirrors will help. Rudders and shafts that use standard packing are simple to tighten, if you can get to them. On a 98 boat it might be time to repack the shafts, rudders probably could be tightened. None of that matters however if the strut mounts are leaking. So the first step it to find the leak.
 
Welcome to the "...and those who will" side of the equation. Hope all goes well.
 
Any vibration on plane

Has the pump been cycling since last week end? Or only underway? How can you not you see and inspect the rudder posts?

A grounding that results in water coming in is a pretty serious issue, not something you put on a back burner for a week...

A shaft doesn't really get "loose", what i would check RIGHT AWAY is the strut for loose bolts and possible cracks
 
Thanks for the comments. There is no vibration or difficulty steering. The pump is cycling at dock. My marina mechanic is looking at it today, hope not too serious.
 
I hit bottom a few weeks ago to where my port Crusader 350 stopped. I was able to restart and back off the clay/muck bottom, but noticed that I now have vibration from my port engine. Does that mean I have to adjust the motor mounts using an alignment tool on the coupling between the shaft and transmission? I think that's what I read in the manual...
 
I would take a nasty hit for the engine to move and require alignment. Check the prop first (in water) then dial the shaft to make sure it s straight.
 
it does not take much to get a vibration.
I touched once coming down a canal during low tide at idle speed.
Bent one blade about a 1/8 of a inch and had a bad vibration.
When we hauled, mechanic took a wood stick and held it to shaft and spun prop.
You could see every blade just missed the wood and one blade hit it.
Simple tool, simple test.
Had props done and boat ran better than before!
 
Agriman you certainly spent quite a bit of time looking for it so it's about time you found it
badteeth.gif


As long as no one was hurt, you floated away alright, it's all good. Hopefully the damage is not extensive.

Tommy I am betting you bent a prop blade or two. Could be the shaft as well.
 
Well I think I dodged a bullet. Today there is absolutley no leak. Mechanic was under the engines with flashlight and checked everything out and it has quit leaking.I took the boat out at WOT and no vibration and no leak. My mechanic is guessing that there was sand under the rubber seals and they washed themselves out. I will keep an eye on it for the next few weeks until fall pull out and then have the props checked out.
 
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