Play in steering

[Nathan k]

Just viewed a boat and i think i have finally found the one...3.7 litre picton bowrider and will do 50mph and yet there is still plenty of space with a fully open bow.

there is only one thing i noticed on this boat, the steering had alot of play in it.
is that a big problem to fix?
there are plenty of other bowriders out there so if it is a sign that the rest of the boat needs work then i don't mind saying no to this one

Looking foward to your reply

Nathan

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Play in steering

At low speed it is common to wander.......... That is an IO trait. At high speed it is a problem what Motor is in that boat and what drive? I am not sure what a 4.7 is and if it is a 3.7 I would be VERY VERY hard pressed to buy it

 

[Nathan k]

Re: Play in steering

Sorry it IS a 3.7 inboard. do you recommend staying away then?

I have only viewed it out the water and the steering felt loose and unresponsive

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Play in steering

Nathan, some (1/4"-3/8") play is normal in a rack and pinon system. If the steering is hydraulic, and it had a lot of play, there is likely a problem, but it should be fixable.

BTW - if you are using the 50MPH speed as part of your decision to buy the boat, I would double check it with a GPS. There are not many boats with that power that go that fast.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Play in steering

...3.7 litre...
there is only one thing i noticed on this boat, the steering had alot of play in it.
is that a big problem to fix?
...

1. RUN AWAY!!!!!
2. RUN AWAY
3. It can be a $2500 repair if it's so worn out that parts have to be replaced.

Keep looking. The motor alone enough reason to run away from that boat. With a worn gimbal, don't look back.

 

[saclass]

Re: Play in steering

Nathan, some (1/4"-3/8") play is normal in a rack and pinon system. If the steering is hydraulic, and it had a lot of play, there is likely a problem, but it should be fixable.

BTW - if you are using the 50MPH speed as part of your decision to buy the boat, I would double check it with a GPS. There are not many boats with that power that go that fast.

what kind of boats are you playing with? I wouldnt buy one that didnt push 50.

 

[boatnut74]

Re: Play in steering

what kind of boats are you playing with? I wouldnt buy one that didnt push 50.

For one, 50 is a little fast for fishing. Two, I wouldn't want to go tubing or skiing at 50. However, I do like the adrenaline rush

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Play in steering

I am not sure of your experience, but 50 MPH is faster than most boats with stock power will achieve. There are some high performance boats and bass-type boats that will achieve higher speeds, but not your average runabout.

Can you rig one to achieve that speed, absolutely. Can you do it with a 3.7l inboard or I/O motor, yes but it would need to be a pretty light boat. This set-up would be pretty rare out of the factory, IMHO.

BTW 50 MPH is good for bare-foot waterskiing....

 

[Nathan k]

Re: Play in steering

Thanks for the advice everyone,
In the end i didn't feel it was worth the risk if a repair could cost as much as the boat itself!
Back to E bay and boatsandoutboards!