Looking for Hunter 38 on the upper Chesapeake bay for comparison

Oct 24, 2019
47
Hunter 38 Baltimore
Hi guys. I have a 2005 Hunter 38 with the 3 cyl 40hp Yanmar. I've always felt the engine vibrates a lot from idle to 2000 rpm. Then is smooths out. I've had my yard look at it. Checked the alignment, shaft and prop for straightness, I replaced the engine mounts with no change. I've had someone tell me "those 3 cylinders can vibrate a bit" and I kind of resigned myself to this as fact. Then this spring I installed a new autopilot. When I went out with the electrician who did the final wiring so we could do the calibration, as soon as we left the dock he commented on how much the engine vibrated and he felt this was not normal.

So, I'd like to find another 38 near me to go out on, even for 2 minutes, to see how the engine feels. I'm planning a trip down to Florida in the fall and want to make sure everything is right. I wintered at Cutter marina in Essex Md and there were at least 3 other 38's there so I know there are several in the area. I live in Fallston Md North of Baltimore. If anyone would be kind enough to invite me aboard for a short run I'll bring beer.

Thanks in advance.

Don
 
Apr 11, 2010
946
Hunter 38 Whitehall MI
Don
I can’t help you with getting on the boat but I can tell you that I have same boat (other than mine is 2008) and same engine and it does not vibrate or shake excessively at those RPMs.
It runs smoothly from idle right on up to full speed.
 
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kbgunn

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Sep 19, 2017
210
2005 Hunter 33 Lake Lewisville, TX
Same boat and engine. 2006 model year. I had an issued with a lot of vibration at low RPM. I just bought the boat this past November. It idled very rough at around 900 RPM with the shifter in neutral. Ran smooth without vibration once I shifted to forward or reverse and gave some throttle. Also, ran smooth in the slip by pressing the transmission disengage button on the shifter and giving throttle.

I adjusted the idle stop screw so that it idles at 1,000 RPM with the shifter in neutral and that got rid of the vibration at idle.

I would suspect some other engine issue if you still have noticeable vibration and noise at 2000 RPM. Just a guess on my part, but if it was my engine I would look for a clogged or partially blocked injector. That's the easiest to fix. Another easy check would be cylinder compression. Less easy fix though if that's the issue.
 
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Apr 2, 2021
404
Hunter 38 On the move
I have a 2007 and it DOES vibrate up from off-idle up to the mid-teens. However, I have a hunk out of one prop blade and a worn cutlass bearing. Unsure if there's a causal relationship. On the list to get fixed this summer.