studlymandingo
Commander
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2006
- Messages
- 2,716
Finally!!! I got to put the boat in the water after the new tank and the best upgrade I have done to this boat yet...
hydraulic steering.
I purchased the cylinder, resevoir, and helm-pump from eBay. I got the hoses made for me at the Goodyear hoses place here in St Pete. Had so much going on lately that this was the first weekend I had to get her in the water.
I purchased the cylinder, resevoir, and helm-pump from eBay. I got the hoses made for me at the Goodyear hoses place here in St Pete. Had so much going on lately that this was the first weekend I had to get her in the water.The hydraulic steering made a new boat out of her. I have a Winner Center Console with a 150HP Mariner outboard. While I was on Tampa Bay and the Gulf today I encountered lots of different conditions that really let me know how it handled. The V-6 can really have a good bit of torque-steer with the single-cable Teleflex system that was on it, especially when I have the bow down to cut the chop. Today, with the new steering setup, it was like night and day different. It was smooth when I first went out in the AM but the winds kicked up mid-afternoon and produced some good-sized seas. Even trimmed to plow the waves, there was no resistance against the wheel, I could even take my hand off and there was no change in course! It seems so much safer when you're not fighting against the torque of the motor; the boat handles the same trimmed in or out. Turning took a few minutes to get used to, I could really feel how the boat was handling through the turns without having to muscle against the inertia. The steering is responsive and smooth throughout all conditions.
Very pleased with hydraulics!!!
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