Stiff Steering

[Boatsb]

In Miami in the 80's it was a little over 2lbs. At least that what Sonny Crockett said.

or 1000 grams. The prize is yours Mr Smith. ( If that is your real name)

[REBrueckner]

My mechanic recommended ATF instead of the high priced brand due to price. He and his crew have been in the marine repair/mechanic business for almost as long as I have been boating...they would not be using ATF if customers subsequently noticed "stiff steering"....I've previously used ATF in my YF in weather down to below freezing and never noticed a difference due to colder temps.....Seems like that's where ATF could potentially show effects if there are any.

The diameter of the steering wheel itself will also result in different ease of steering...Those big Hatt "destroyer" type steering wheels, original equipment that is, while cold in cold climates, are plenty big enough for "easy steering".

(I've seen such wrapped with small diameter nylon line to mark "straight ahead" and also completely wrapped for insulation and warmer hands. Bill Allen and I recently used gloves a few times for the colder NJ and Chesapeake portion of our trip to Fla.)

I wonder if Hatt used different size hyradulic pumps (at the helms) on different model/size boats and whether some were more "oversize" than others....seems like that would have been corrected by Hatt??

Disconnecting the ram from the rudders as suggested above is an excellent first step....to see if the components each work easily when disconnected.....It's also possible the ram is not connected at the proper point on the rudder lever bar....Some have a several alternate points of connection and if steering is stiff, picking a connection point further from the rudder post could also ease steering.

Or maybe the bar connecting port and starboard rudders is bent...or something in the rudder assembly inside the boat is seized/corroded...or the rudders are not aligned correctly (splayed in or out or non uniformly)....all easy mechanical problems to identify especially during a haul out. After a visual inspection, packing as noted is clearly worth replacing.

[rsmith]

"I've seen such wrapped with small diameter nylon line to mark "straight ahead"

Wont work. Not on a hyd system anyhow.

[Boatsb]

"I've seen such wrapped with small diameter nylon line to mark "straight ahead"

Wont work. Not on a hyd system anyhow.

That's how we get boats on the rocks. people do not pay attention to the direction the boat is traveling and thing the wheel is in the straight ahead position so I will go straight.

Mr Smith wins another prize

[The Hedgehog]

"I've seen such wrapped with small diameter nylon line to mark "straight ahead"

Wont work. Not on a hyd system anyhow.

Yes, you are correct. I can't tell you how many folks buy expensive steering wheels for their performance boats and then get pissed when they creep around to point upside down when they are going straight ahead. The experienced folks buy the cheaper 3 spokes.

[REBrueckner]

"I've seen such wrapped with small diameter nylon line to mark "straight ahead"

Wont work. Not on a hyd system anyhow..

Could be, never thought about it...but why?? and if so, how do the electric rudder angle indicators fare any better?? Never had one apart to see how they work.

[Fanfare]

On a Hynautic system you can have multiple steering pumps. I have flybridge and salon wheel units and another for the autopilot. With some steering systems (Crowell) all steering wheels move no matter which you are using. Hynautic has internal valves to prevent this. However, hydraulic fluid is moving through the system, but only moving the hydraulic ram at the stern above the rudders. Your rudder angle indicator and/or autopilot feedback comes directly from a rudder post or from the bar that links the two rudders.

I think having all wheels move just adds friction to the steering. There is also a remote possibility that binding one wheel could jam the steering.

I know this because Fanfare was the very first Hatteras to have the then-new Hynautic steering (in fact I think it was then called Fluid Controls Corp.). My uncle, Bill Grove, had seen the new systems and pursuaded my Dad to order it on Fanfare. We are hull #22; all hulls after #26 were equipped with Hynautic. A few years ago while buying spare parts they said Hatteras was now their biggest single customer. I think they expedited my repair!

[rsmith]

On a Hynautic system you can have multiple steering pumps. I have flybridge and salon wheel units and another for the autopilot. With some steering systems (Crowell) all steering wheels move no matter which you are using. Hynautic has internal valves to prevent this. However, hydraulic fluid is moving through the system, but only moving the hydraulic ram at the stern above the rudders. Your rudder angle indicator and/or autopilot feedback comes directly from a rudder post or from the bar which links the two rudders.

I think having all wheels move just adds friction to the steering. There is also a remote possibility that binding one wheel could jam the steering.

I know this because Fanfare was the very first Hatteras to have the then-new Hynautic steering. My uncle, Bill Grove, had seen the new systems and pursuaded my Dad to order it on Fanfare. A few years ago while buying spare parts they said Hatteras was now their biggest single customer. I think they expedited my repair!

We had the crowell on the 34 and it took 3 men and a boy to turn the wheel. We disconnected the lower station and it was ok but not up to the ease of the hynautic. We did lose the bridge to deckhouse comunication tho. The old man used to yank the lower wheel back and forth to get my attention on the bridge.

[Boatsb]

"I've seen such wrapped with small diameter nylon line to mark "straight ahead"

Wont work. Not on a hyd system anyhow..

Could be, never thought about it...but why?? and if so, how do the electric rudder angle indicators fare any better?? Never had one apart to see how they work.

google "rudder position indicator and sender"