Choosing the Right Hydraulic Boat Steering System
Boat steering must always steer, hold the boat on course, perform the function smoothly and with as little resistance as possible. A well-balanced steering system will greatly reduce helm fatigue and make a voyage more enjoyable. There are not many options when choosing a vessel steering system and the most popular are a
cable and pully system, a
(Rack and Pinion), a
push-pull cable system and a
hydraulic system.
Hydraulic Boat Steering
Hydraulic steering for boats has been around for a long time and is available for boats with inboards, sterndrives and out board motors. Vessels with large rudders, greater horsepower, requiring multiple steering stations or needing autopilot integration could benefit from hydraulic steering and avoid installation challenges that come with cable steering.
With the popularity of larger outboard motors, the boat hydraulic steering manufacturers such as ‘
Seastar®’, and ‘
Uflex®’ have all introduced compact boat hydraulic steering kits that are easy to install or to retrofit an older system. Changing a boat with cable steering for the outboard to hydraulic outboard steering has numerous advantages such as eliminating feedback, allowing easy autopilot integration and the simplicity of adding additional steering stations.
‘Seastar®’ hydraulic steering kits are readily available for most installation but for a custom installation it is advisable to contact ‘
Seastar Solutions®’ for advice because there are many factors that determine the sizing of the components required for a well-functioning hydraulic steering system. ‘
Baystar®’ hydraulic steering manufactured by ‘Seastar®’ is only recommended for a vessel with a 150HP motor and light steering capabilities.
Another manufacturer for boat hydraulic steering is ‘
Uflex®’. ‘Uflex®’ also offers a wide range of hydraulic kits for outboard motors and it is also advisable to contact them if one is considering the installation for multiple outboards.
Hydraulic Power Assist
Hydraulic steering on a boat also has the advantage of integrating power assist.
Hydraulic steering assist is either provided from the onboard engine or a standalone electrically driven unit often referred to as a power pack. Super light and smooth input are all that is required at the
helm when using a power assist steering system. For a non-power assist system the helmsperson provides all the effort required to move the
hydraulic cylinder and although this might not require much effort it will require more depending on the mechanical advantage of the system.
Hydraulic Spare Parts
Hydraulic steering on a boat requires verry little maintenance compared to their counterparts. On occasion the cylinder or the helm pump might require a new seal. A ‘Seastar®’
hydraulic steering seal kit is available eliminating the need to replace the component. Fittings that might leak or require replacing are also readily available.
Hydraulic hoses often come premade with the fittings already attached and are available in different lengths should one require a replacement or for a system modification. All hydraulic steering systems require hydraulic fluid, and it is always advisable to use the original manufacturers recommended fluid in their system. ‘Seastar®’ hydraulic steering fluid is available in one-quart and one-gallon sizes and ‘Uflex®’ hydraulic steering fluid is also available in one-quart. Having a spare
quart of hydraulic fluid aboard is always a good idea.