Mercury 115 CT 2.1l Bay star steering good ?

[QBhoy]

Hi all

my steering can’t get any worse than it was last year, with its terrible standard rotary teleflex cable system, on her 2.1l 115 mercury CT and a big prop. Sitting on the transom of a 20ft cuddy to boot...then there was the fact the engine was set up too low also.
fast forward to present day..engine is where it should be at an inch above the lower hull and bay star steering system is all but fitted, with just the system to fill and bleed. Boat getting launched soon. Not expecting the tracking of a bloody nordhaven...but surely she will be massively improved from previously ? Anyone else have any success stories with similar set ups and the bay star ? Probably should have went full sea star, but at over £1000 Sterling to buy...when I had the chance at a bargain £400 bay star system (instead of the usual £700), I thought it worth a go. If not, I was thinking of replacing the standard hydraulic hoses for a larger bore. Keen to hear others and their opinions on similar with the new mercury 115 or 115 pro Xs and CT gearbox. Thanks.

 

[dingbat]

Probably should have went full sea star, but at over £1000 Sterling to buy...when I had the chance at a bargain £400 bay star system (instead of the usual £700), I thought it worth a go. If not, I was thinking of replacing the standard hydraulic hoses for a larger bore.

Sea Star is for outboards 150+ HP. Over kill for a 115 HP

Over sized hoses buy you nothing unless you update the pump displacement of the helm as well.

 

[QBhoy]

Sea Star is for outboards 150+ HP. Over kill for a 115 HP

Over sized hoses buy you nothing unless you update the pump displacement of the helm as well.

Hi dingbat.
You’re spot on with sea star for over 150...but most of these are getting fitted with sea star it seems. Just because of the size of the engine and the big CT gearbox on it. Runs the big props too. It had cable steering fitted for some crazy reason. It’s the heaviest steering I’ve ever known on any boat ever. Ridiculous prop torque on it. Hope it’s man enough with the bay star. Lather capacity hoses apparently can help, by some accounts at least.

 

[dingbat]

Hi dingbat.
You’re spot on with sea star for over 150...but most of these are getting fitted with sea star it seems. Just because of the size of the engine and the big CT gearbox on it. Runs the big props too. It had cable steering fitted for some crazy reason. It’s the heaviest steering I’ve ever known on any boat ever. Ridiculous prop torque on it. Hope it’s man enough with the bay star. Lather capacity hoses apparently can help, by some accounts at least.

The displacement of the helm determines the speed (flow) in which the cylinder reacts and force (pressure) applied to the cylinder.

Increasing the hose size does nothing to increase the flow and will actually reduce the pressure applied to the cylinder.

The additional fluid inside the larger diameter hose will make the steering feel a bit "spongy" if anything.

I have cable steering in my boat. Once trimmed, I can walk away from the helm while on plane and the boat will steer itself. Then again, the SeaV2 hull (continuously variable vee) is infamous for it's tendency to track too well.

Refuse to change it over to Sea Star unless I have to because of the problem with the seals.

 

[QBhoy]

The displacement of the helm determines the speed (flow) in which the cylinder reacts and force (pressure) applied to the cylinder.

Increasing the hose size does nothing to increase the flow and will actually reduce the pressure applied to the cylinder.

The additional fluid inside the larger diameter hose will make the steering feel a bit "spongy" if anything.

I have cable steering in my boat. Once trimmed, I can walk away from the helm while on plane and the boat will steer itself. Then again, the SeaV2 hull (continuously variable vee) is infamous for it's tendency to track too well.

Refuse to change it over to Sea Star unless I have to because of the problem with the seals.

Fair play ding. Great to hear others and their real world experience on such things. I just couldn’t stay with the cable steering. It was honestly so bad being the CT and swinging a big diameter tempest plus. No trim anode fin fits the lower unit either. Especially on a deep v U.K. cuddy 20ft hull. Of course the engine height as she was set up, when the new engine was put on in 2016, was terribly low. It was at best level or even a little below the line on the lower hull. I have her about an inch above now. Just that alone should help massively.