"Capt. JG" wrote in message
easolutions...
Well, it's been 3 years and the diver who checked it for me said it
felt
fine. I'll check it myself, but I'm pretty sure it's ok. There's no
vibration I can feel on the wheel.

It's one of those things that are better replaced before they need it.



While true, I'm not going to replace something that is perfectly fine.
I've seen boats that had some play in the bearing, that went another three
years on the advice of the yard manager in agreement with a surveyor, the
former of whom who certainly had incentive to change it.

If you are not using the boat in sandy water these bearings should give very
little trouble but if your boat is cleaned by a diver you should make sure
he knows that it is vital that all marine growth that might impede the free
flow of water through the slots on the cutlass bearing should be carefully
removed and that in doing so he does not push any of the crud into those
slots.