Traditionally we have not done our service until the spring, this usually means we are up against it for time pressure and possibly contending with frost and snow (we like our boating to actually start at the end of March just prior to the speed limits cutting in)
Also this year has been our first year with the boat so we were unfamiliar with the noises it should and shouldn't make. However both me and James thought that the sterndrive was noisy and indeed on our last run of the year we found a spot in the mid-rev range where there was a distinct vibration somewhere in the system.
Therefore we booked Tom Parker from Tompa Marine Services in early and he travelled over today to carry out a major service for us (we asked for all service items rather than an "interim" style service)
Tom turned up nice and early and we let him into our private boat compound (Thanks to James' employer)
Mid afternoon I got these nice set of pictures from Tom!
The UJ
The bellows (complete with water!)
The Gimbal bearing
Tom changed the gimbal bearing and the bellows and then re-furbed the UJ for us...
Tom says he has come across a number of UJ's like this and following a proper clean and grease they come up just fine, however we will be keeping an eye (and ear) on it in future.
It was a bit of a lesson to find that shiny boat on outside does not necessarily equate to shiny boat on the inside. I guess at some point the bellows has gained a split and water has leaked in.
Anyway, that's us fully serviced and maintained (and winterised) so its simply a matter of the trailer service in January (remember our local trailer dealership has a servicing "sale" in their quiet month) and we are ready to go!