Ralph,
You said in your initial posting that the problem you have goes back to day one, and that several “Visions” seem to have this problem.
There was this question before in 2016.
My steering wheels vibrate during the motor drive from about 1200 1 / min. Engine D2-55, with fixed pitch propeller and also with a Darglow 3 blade rotary wing propeller. During sailing no vibrations and also outside the water no play in the rudder bearing. The problem is from day one. After the entry from 2016, several vision seem to have this problem. I think a Cruiser 41, with similar configuration, did not have this problem.
Is there an idea about the cause?
Thanks Ralph
The Bavaria factory I understand is located in an entirely landlocked area such that all of their production gets sent out on the back of a special truck or trucks designed for the transportation of boats. In transporting those boats my guess is that the most vulnerable part of the exercise would be protecting the rudder from damage, assuming it was installed prior to transportation. Indeed, I think it would probably not be installed until arrival at the Bavaria main agents location, presumably somewhere in the north part of Germany in your case.
On arrival at the main agent, the boat would be hoisted off the truck and the rudder fitted while in the hoist by persons employed by the agent at the time, and it is that stage of the preparation which I believe to be the weak point, and where there is a real possibility that hurrying to get the job done before the boat gets wet may well be the source of your problem.
I know from what you have said that you think You have a bent prop shaft, but think about it. You say that several Visions have suffered the same problem, but for all of them to have bent shafts.......? Sorry, absolutely no way is that possible, and how would it get bent before the boat was put into service for the problem you have experienced to be present from day one without you having done the damage? The saildrive would not be supplied with a bent shaft from new unless there was some careless handling, and then only to one or two saildrives at most before factory procedures were tightened up.
Symphony is right, saildrive shafts don’t get bent without something pretty catastrophic occurs, something which you would be very aware of at the time, in fact every bit as aware of as no doubt you were at the time when you “clonked” your outboard motor shaft. However, if there is looseness in the rudder bearing then the wash from the propeller will likely exacerbate the vibration to the point that you think it entirely caused by the engine rather than a sloppy rudder bearing.
I think you should look more closely at the suggestion put forward by Symphony, Mark and Clivert where following their suggestion would help to take up any slackness in the rudder bearing and thereby reduce or even remove the vibration completely. Also consider that some wear and settling in of the bearing system is likely to take place, and the adjustment suggested could very well remove the problem you are experiencing.
