Need new steering!

[ris]

We need to update our steering. We have a Ultra Flex T71FC at this time. It still works but the plastic covering near the motor is cracked. Also in 2017 we were on a trip on the St. Johns River in Florida and it went from ok to so hard to turn my wife could not turn the wheel in one day. So we ordered a new and different unit(the Ultra Flex) and got a guy to help us install it in Jacksonville. It has worked fine but I should have bought a cable length about 2 or 3 feet shorter. As we are planning to boat in Canada this summer we just might replace this as preventive maintenance. We have a 2003 26X and I think we need about 9 feet. The ultra flex is a one cable unit but I am not opposed to hydraulic unit. Just wondered if anyone knows the length of their unit and if they have hydraulic or rotary. Thanks

[TonyHouk]

I installed a hydraulic system on my X earlier this year. Should have done it a long time ago. It makes steering so much easier. It holds a course. With the tubing, uou cut it to the correct length easily. Follow the directions and it sets up quick. I can send pictures or answer questions if needed. Tony

[NiceAft]

I installed a hydraulic system on my X earlier this year. Should have done it a long time ago. It makes steering so much easier. It holds a course. With the tubing, uou cut it to the correct length easily. Follow the directions and it sets up quick. I can send pictures or answer questions if needed. Tony

In twenty-thirteen, I had the opportunity to take the helm of a sixty foot catamaran with hydraulic steering. The captain warned me that there is a slight delay in response. Is that what you experience? I have always wondered if that was a problem with his system, or all hydraulic steering on boats?

[ris]

Tony please post some pics and tell me which brand you installed.
Thanks

[TonyHouk]

I think my system is a Vevor system I bought off of eBay. It is for outboards up to 150 hp. They have three different sizes. The smaller one I thought wouldn’t work with my Evinrude 115. My unit is sized perfectly. I don’t have the delay that NiceAft was talking about. I just got off the phone with RIS, Richard, and we talked about my system. Bay star makes a similar unit that was probably copied by all the other clones. I think it is a great upgrade to the Mac. Any questions you can ask I’ll try to answer. I’ll see about posting pictures. Tony

[Russ]

In twenty-thirteen, I had the opportunity to take the helm of a sixty foot catamaran with hydraulic steering. The captain warned me that there is a slight delay in response.

That's what I tell EVERY guest onboard who takes the helm and is used to the response from driving a car.

My steering does have some slop which I need to address. I guess first tighten up any linkages, however, I'm probably going to replace the steering cable with the new upgraded BWY version.

[OverEasy]

We have a second version of the original steering ‘push me-pulliyou’ cable system.
Our PO replaced the original during their ownership tenure.

It’s held up reasonably well for us and our extensive use but it is starting to develop some wear slop.
Some of it is in the linkage bits and some is the steering box.
I’ll be tackling the linkages first (as both aspects would need to be addressed to tighten things up).

Swapping out the steering is a bit involved and changing from cable to hydraulics it a task.
The wheel unit is fairly simple but I’d think the placement of the actuator might be a bit of a challenge space wise.
I’d very much like to see how TonyHouk worked out the placement of his

Best Regards,
Over Easy

[TonyHouk]

I hope this works for showing how dirty my boat is and the hydraulic steering setup I used.

[OverEasy]

Hi TonyHouk!

Thanks for the picture!
It helps!

So i can see that it appears that the hydraulic ram attaches to the engine frame but I’m not clear where it he ram connects the the boat… s
I see the quick disconnect link between the engine and the rudder arm (nice ) so I assume that when in sailing mode the motor moves back and forth with the rudders. Does this add any hindrance?

So it appears that the ram-to-engine is prime and the connection to rudder is secondary.

Our existing cable system seems a bit odd to me as to where it penetrates the hull to connect. It is kind of awkward geometry. So as it is which I guess is how it was set up (by the first purchaser) originally has the prime connection to the rudder arm which then connects to the engine …. It had some binding that limited the turning range in one direction so I fiddled about and changed it around so the engine and rudders could have greater turning range in both directions. (This helped us as we primarily operate in motorcruiser mode.) This works but it also means that I can’t disconnect either the rudders or the engine..it’s kind of an all or nothing proposition . My pseudo solution has been to remove the actual rudders from their brackets and store them.

Ideally if I were to change out the steering system to hydraulics I’m wondering if there isn’t a way to set it up so that we could have the options of just engine steering / just rudder steering / combined engine & rudder steering.

Do yo think that this might be a possible adaptation with the system you have?

Best Regards,
Over Easy

[TonyHouk]

Over,
Let me see if I can answer all your questions.

The hydraulic ram has two bent rods that go through the engine pivot, they are covered in the blue mesh in my picture. Those rods are connected to the ram which is under the stops that are red in the picture. Those stops are to keep the engine steady while you trailer but removed for boating. The ram is connected to the motor with the short arm underneath the front of the engine. In my picture it is to the top of the picture behind the quick disconnect for the rudders, which isn’t connected in that picture. It would be easier for you to see if you look up the baystar manual and see how they attach it.

Yes the rudders move with the motor. There is no hindrance as it is set up. I can one finger steer the boat with my hydraulic setup. I couldn’t do that with the cable system. Hydraulic is the way to go.

I think the way mine is setup for the X is the way to go. I can disconnect the rudders from the engine but there is no need unless you are doing maintenance on the rudders or engine. If you have more questions you can pm me your number and I could call you or I could send more pictures. Bear in mind I will have the swim platform on my boat in not too long.
Have fun, Tony