Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

[scooper77515]

Volvo 4.3 GL with power steering. It reminds me of an old Ford power steering system. Loose with play in the first inch or so of steering, then you feel the power kick in and it turns quickly.

I have to go through railroad bridges with 12' spaces between the poles, and I am having to fight it going back and forth with the steering wheel.

Is this normal? If not, what can I do to tighten it up?

Fine at high speeds, but I am having to overcompensate back and forth to keep it straight when going slow.

 

[burp]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

Slow speed wander is pretty much "the nature of the beast". It's not caused by the power steering but planing hulls and ones tendency to over correct when making course corrections.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

...the more pronounded the Vee, the more severe the low speed wander.
Smartabs all but cured our V-20 from wandering, though we do not have power steering.
Decrease the extent and frequency of your steering corrections and allow the hull to more-or-less self-center. Fewer, slower and smaller corrections, though hard to resist larger steering inputs, will also reduce the wander.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

...the more pronounded the Vee, the more severe the low speed wander.
Smartabs all but cured our V-20 from wandering, though we do not have power steering.
Decrease the extent and frequency of your steering corrections and allow the hull to more-or-less self-center. Fewer, slower and smaller corrections, though hard to resist larger steering inputs, will also reduce the wander.

As above i am about to name the boat LOST SOUL...Low speed wander is a pain

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

This subject always comes up.....


Slow speed "wander" of a rear-drive, V-bottom boat is a characteristic of "Rear Drive", "V-bottom" boats.

Except for ACTUAL loose steering components, low speed wandering is not affected appreciably by Smart tabs, Stupid Tabs, cockpit adjustable tabs, multiple prop drives, multiple drives, Witch Doctors, Marvel Mystery Oil, Slick-50, Sea-Foam, or or other snake oils etc.


Increasing your speed slightly will reduce the wandering. Increasing more will eliminate it. (your keel becomes MORE effective)

Just deal with it!


Cheers,


Rick

 

[robjen1019]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

I don't know, the tornado properly inserted in the carb might give just enough boost to keep it from wandering.

 

[EddiePetty]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

Hummmm...I stopped wandering when the XO started treating me better!!!

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

I don't know, the tornado properly inserted in the carb might give just enough boost to keep it from wandering.

Ahhh.....Whut?

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

Oh, thanks guys!

New-to-me boat, and I just assumed it had to do with the power steering.

Previous boat was a jet, 14.5' and did it, but not as difficult to correct. Or maybe after 3 years I just got used to it.

 

[John_S]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

Smart tabs reduced it on my boat. Having people sit it the bow vs the stearn basicly eliminates it for me. This is at 1000rpms, not idle.

 

[Simoniz]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

This subject always comes up.....


Slow speed "wander" of a rear-drive, V-bottom boat is a characteristic of "Rear Drive", "V-bottom" boats.

Increasing your speed slightly will reduce the wandering. Increasing more will eliminate it. (your keel becomes MORE effective)



Rick

So drive through your gap with posts 12'' either side at 30mph and you'll be just fine!

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

I have heard that power steering somehow aggravates the situation. Not sure myself why, but my boat wanders and it does have power steering.
Anyway, time at the helm will help- the tendency is to overcompensate and that aggravates the zig zagging. I'm finding myself doing waaaayyy less steering correction now than when I first got the boat.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

I will try less correction and see if that helps. Gotta overcome that natural gut feeling to steer more...

 

[generator12]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

I'll chime in on the Smart Tabs response. A pair helped me considerably with the same problem on a 17.5 foot Four Winns with power steering. The additional drag on both port and starboard reduced the zig-zag to negligible on my rig. And I wouldn't even have tried to go through a 12" clearance before I installed them -it was that bad.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

There is more than 12" clearance. It is about 4 feet on both sides to play with. So I guess that comes out to like a 16' gap between the pilings.

Still, they are solid concrete, and I don't really want to bounce off of them...

 

[whitney]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

I'll chime in on the Smart Tabs response. A pair helped me considerably with the same problem on a 17.5 foot Four Winns with power steering. The additional drag on both port and starboard reduced the zig-zag to negligible on my rig. And I wouldn't even have tried to go through a 12" clearance before I installed them -it was that bad.

+1 Smart tabs took away 90% of my annoying low speed wander (and 90% of the choppy ride on my 18 footer). Love them, best $120 I have spent on the boat.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: Power steering (i assume) makes it hard to keep straight at slow speeds.

What size Smart Tabs would I need for my boat?

Sounds like it will solve many of my problems.

They don't interfere with the tie down straps, do they?

EDIT--Oh, nevermind. It is all listed out on their website.

EDIT#2--$215 at West Marine in stock