Yama SHO on Atlas shakes in rough water

[kmswiber]

I bought a SHO last year (March) with a 10" Atlas. Since the beginning I noticed the motor shakes when running in rough water. How can I fix this? I called Yamaha, the tech told me this is common b/c the jack plate has the motor further from the transom...but this can't be right.

[pstephens46]

What model? May help others to help you.

[kmswiber]

Sorry...VF200

[panasonic]

I bought a SHO last year (March) with a 10" Atlas. Since the beginning I noticed the motor shakes when running in rough water. How can I fix this? I called Yamaha, the tech told me this is common b/c the jack plate has the motor further from the transom...but this can't be right.

Could you be a little more specific on the shaking? Do you mean it is shaking because its not running right or just shaking like its not solid on its mounts?

thanks

[kmswiber]

It doesn't have anything to do with the motor not running right, only happens in rough water...it is like its bouncing. talked to a few other people with a similar setup, they have the same issue.

[99yam40]

sounds like it is the jack plate/bracket not the motor that has the problem

[pstephens46]

I guess it makes sense. Smaller transom on bass boat with a jack plate. Probably not as rigid as a bigger center console. If you imagine a bracket that was long enough to put motor five feet bahind the boat, I bet the torque/weight would not be any fun then. Bass boats are another science altogether.

[panasonic]

Could you take a couple of pictures of your set up and post...I would like to see it...

[scofflaw]

The tiller arm has rubber shocks under the motor

[boscoe99]

sounds like it is the jack plate/bracket not the motor that has the problem

That would be my guess. Adjustable jack plates (if one is being used) have clearances so the motor can be raised/lowered on the fly. Would not surprise me at all to look back and see a motor wiggling around in ruff water. A 10 inch setback would make is seem, if not be, worse.

Those high speed bass boys, particularly running adjustable jack plates, can go through engine mounts a lot faster than a conventionally mounted motor run at lower boat speeds. So much so that some install solid motor mounts instead of the cushioned kind.

I went for a ride in a VF250 powered bass boat one time. Could not focus my eyes between the 70 plus MPH wind in my face plus the boat was jumping around all over the place.

Check out the force imposed on the motor at 2:15 in this clip. If he had had his seat belt on he would have never left the boat. Really needed a shoulder harness also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UEETjztLqI

[kmswiber]

Really appreciate all of the input...will get some pics and post after lunch. Thanks again everyone.

[DennisG01]

Can you manually duplicate (push/pull/lift/twist on the engine) any of the shaking while the boat is on the trailer?

[kmswiber]

Dennis will check in when I home...I did find this video. Possible solution?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTYRT_JlUko

[boscoe99]

Solid engine mounts and bushings with closer tolerances are available from Brucato.

[FabricGATOR]

Check out the force imposed on the motor at 2:15 in this clip. If he had had his seat belt on he would have never left the boat. Really needed a shoulder harness also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UEETjztLqI

My thought is that if he had a seat belt and shoulder harness, then he would not have departed the vessel and thus he may not have triggered the engine kill lanyard.

Check out the force imposed on the...
Those are some pretty excessive forces, for sure.

I have mixed feelings about excessive and "reckless" operation of the human being. There are many that say they are crazy and stupid. "they're going to break their neck!" But, up until that moment that everything went wrong, ole Bob was living life unlike most others. That thrill, the excitement, the satisfaction of having his bass boat running so fast that he was nearly scared of it....The next time (or possibly the time after that), Greg will have learned to chop the throttle and then throw it back in at the precise time required to maintain a high performance maneuver.

Oops, I got off subject. Calculate exactly where the jack plate runs optimally and weld it solid at that location.