Odd sensation
 

OK, first I had the nav light issue -- easily solved.
Here's another one.

Last trip out last weekend, my Heat it felt like it was riding much harsher in rougher water -- and I couldn't get the normal ride adjustment out of my trim settings. I was getting some bow lift at speed, but it definitely felt like it wasn't taking the chop as easily as it used to. Felt as if it was plowing more into waves and chop, and then springing off these in a more pronounced way. It definitely felt like it was handling differently. A bit "squirrely". At times, it almost felt like I had some extra weight in the front (so much so, I actually checked that someone hadn't dropped a pile of bricks in the anchor locker, or under the front bow cushions just to mess with me.

I thought I noticed a bit more "play" in the steering wheel, and that my wheel was a bit off-center while driving straight. I checked this in several conditions (head into the wind, quartering, etc.), and the wheel is a bit off center.

I pulled the drive all the way up and visually checked and handled the prop to ensure I hadn't nicked, dinged, lost a half blade, or otherwise disfigured things. Thought that this might have been the situation. Negative on this front. All looks good.

Knowing I had full tanks, I paid close attention thoroughout the day to ensuring that I burned fuel equally from both sides, to try and gain the best overall weight balance throughout the day. Got down to about half-tanks, and still had the same feeling that handling felt funny.

At end of day, put the boat up on my lift at the dock, jumped in the water, and thinking that maybe my drive was loose, grabbed the thing -- and noticed that I have about 1" play side-to-side...something that I believe is more than what I've had in the past. when I work this play, I noted that the steering wheel does not move in this range of play. I do not have steering stabilizers on my boat.

I checked to ensure all bolts tight on the outdrive -- outside the boat. that appeared to check out.

I crawled in the hatch to check things there, and to see where the steering cable attaches to the drive. I notice that that "ram" arm has a bit of play in it, but cotter pins are in place, and I don't see anything that is obviously loose.

So, my question du jour of my Nordic and performance experts out there:

1. How much side-to-side play with the drive is "normal"?
2. Presuming I had less play in the drive before, and now have this 1" or so, would that result in the type of overall HARSH handling and ROUGHER RIDE (seemed to be coming of swells harder (landing harder) I think I'm experiencing. Seems to me having this type of play would result more in poor handling side-to-side -- not overall bow lift, trim sensitivity, etc..

3. what do i need to do tighten this drive up?

By the way, had gimbal replaced last season.

I'm stumped...and (as a reminder) I'm pretty stupid about these things. And, of course, I'm now preoccupied worrying about this.

Thanks for your help.

Dave

Dave,
I think your gimble bearings need to be checked, and probably replaced. Rough water is hard on them, particularly with stock steering.
Hydraulic rams take a lot of the load off the bearings, as well as reducing steering slop.
Regards,
Steve

Dave,
Did you check the gimbal ring nuts on the U bolt.
51 lbs if my memory serves me correctly.
The only ones I've ever repaired did not have hydraulic steering rams. Steering kind of pays for itself in the long run.
Get a flash light and look into the space where the gimbal shaft is and see if the gimbal moves with the pin. If the gimbal ring moves slightly independent of the pin then it's either worn or needs tightening.
Dave

Thanks for the ideas. I'll have the gimbal checked out.
I'll do what I can to visually inspect myself this weekend.

I'd be very disappointed if my gimbal is shot already -- or is need of tightening attention -- after no more than 30 or so hours of use since it's replacement by Absolute Speed and Marine in Havasu.