Next message: Len den Besten: "Re: [world-cruising] Hydraulic steering"
On 5/1/07, klysmi <> wrote:
>
> My husband is considering buying a 1987 boat with hydraulic steering and
> has no experience
> with it. I'm scrambling to research. What are the pros and cons? What
> are *very* specific
> problems to look out for? What are the issues with hydraulic steering and
> windvanes? Can
> anyone weigh in with their experiences or recommend good reading (esp
> online, as we're in
> Paris) on this topic? I'm looking for as much detail as possible here,
> and I appreciate any
> insight.
Pros: hydraulic steering is a simpler solution than cables for boats with an
aft cabin (i.e., center cockpit). Cable steering on those boats can follow
a tortuous path, with many bends, each of which becomes a potential failure
point. Hydraulic steering is quite strong, which means very little effort
on the wheel will turn a large rudder. Many boats, especially larger boats,
use hydraulics for multiple systems: backstay tensioners, solid boom vangs,
even furlers and winches. So one properly designed system can serve
multiple functions.
Cons: if they leak, you have a mess. I've spoken with owners who claim
their hydraulic steering "creeps" - causing a slight rudder turn while the
helm is amidships. There's no "midships" marking on the wheel, as that
point will change. As Henry mentioned, there's no feedback; if you're not
watching your compass, you can easily wander off course. I don't know
anyone with a windvane + hydraulic steering, so no help there.
--
Best,
Bryan Genez
"Capella" V40-158
New Bern, NC
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