stiff steering

[salmonee]

I test rode a 07 wellcraft 18' DC. The steering is very hard at idle. At high speed the steering is soft. Is this because the boat has no power steering? Is it reasonable $ wise to add power steering after the fact?

 

[saumon]

Re: stiff steering

If it is hard at idle, it probably have a no-feedback type of steering system. The main advantage being that, when you troll, the boat won't change direction if you remove your hands fron the steering.

With a simple regular cable system like i have on my Merc 60hp 2-strokes, it's very soft at idle, then it steer like crazy to starboard from 1500 to 2500 rpm and, past 3000 rpm, i can remove my hands from the wheel and it goes straigth ahead.