cutless bearing tolerence

[lowufo]

How much play is acceptable in the prop shaft inside the cutless bearing .Ours moves about 1/16-1/8
Thanks

[Maine Sail]

That is a quite a bit of movement. The rubber on most bearings on sailboats is barely 1/8" thick and you say you can move your shaft that much? Ideally there should be no side to side or up / down slop. It should fit snug.

[Tallystick]

Do you actually have 1/8-1/16 of empty space in the bearing, or can you deflect the shaft by that much at some distance out? How are you measuring this?

[lowufo]

Thanks folks
I have that much play ,I had a fair amount of vibration also. maybe I can upload a video somehow or some pics

[Quetzalsailor]

I think a sixteenth of an inch of total wag is at the high end of plenty. When new there is not much slop that isn't the rubber itself flexing.

Lots of other reasons for vibration: alignment, slop, out-of-balance, critters on the prop or shaft, the engine and its accessories, loose mounts, broken mounts, bent shaft, corroded zincs.