Hydraulic Steering Question

[captaindale]

I am planning to buy a Key West 176 DC soon and will purchase it with either a Suzuki 115 or 140 Four Stroke or a Yamaha of either of the same; looking for opinions regarding paying for hydrolic steering if it does not come with the package.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Hydraulic steering is a fairly expensive option for larger motors or twin motor set-ups. It eliminates the "torque steering" and feed-back caused by the rotation of the props. For a boat and motor set-up like you described, I'd recommend the standard mechanical steering, for the price, very little maintenance, and they work fine! Good Luck!

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Agree completely. Stick with the mechanical. If you have torque steering issues you can always upgrade to a no-feedback system.

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Stay with the cable system.If you've got an extra 1500 bucks to throw around let me know.

 

[captaindale]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

I really appreciate your comments...you have just saved me about a $400; The boat dealer that sells the boat I am interested in said it makes steering "real easy" when coming in real close to dock the boat...because steering is not as smooth and easy as when running your boat at more faster speeds.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

The hydraulic steering is the way to go--BayStar on lower horsepower motors. $400 is nothing when you're rigging a new boat.

SeaStar on 150 hp and up is just about mandatory. The guys with 200+ horses will also need to put a $1,699 power steering pump on the SeaStar system--making it seriously expensive proposition. Even hydraulics get tough to turn at high rpm's w/o power steering.

The Suzuki 140 hp motor is really supposed to be a honey. Just look to your dealer's experience for guidance.

If you want to talk about expensive, the Merc. Verado rigging starts at about $2,000. The electronic throttle/gearshift is expensive, and the tach/speedometers are about $900 by themselves. You can the add a $1,100 internal power steering pump. High tech is really triple tough on the pocketbook, and the sky's the limit when you start hooking up color GPS/Fishfinders to the speedometer.

 

[jdlough]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

...you have just saved me about a $400.

It's only $400 more for hydraulic? I'd get it.

 

[captaindale]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

So if that is the price for a combination of tilt steering and Hydrolic steering the $400 is a great price? I will go with that... will double check that with the dealer.
Thanks

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Yeah that's not a bad price. For a no-feedback mechanical system with tilt added, you might be around $200ish anyway so that's a pretty inexpensive upgrade.

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

Re: Hydrolic Steering Questiion

I have a Suzuki DF140 with a single cable teleflex NFB. If I had to do it over I would upgrade to hydraulic, especially if its only $400. It not mandatory, and I didn't think I had stiff steering until I drove a buddies boat with hydraulic, and now I'm envious.