[insert]

With the electronic helm, a slight turn of the wheel corresponds to a precise movement of the outboard. There’s no sloppiness at all, and effort is always the same. You can also adjust the number of turns lock-to-lock at low speed and high speed. (I’ve set my steering for four turns lock-to-lock at low speed and six at high speed.) I’ve also set the steering effort at 60 percent at low speed and 85 at high speed. I like a stiffer wheel than the default settings, and it was very easy to tweak it to my preferences.

[greg]

Installing the actuator was as simple as following the diagram and making sure all of the washers, spacers and nuts fit in the right place. The final task was connecting the ram to the tiller arm. By the grace of something, I didn’t drop the bolt, nut or washer in the drink, and everything bolted together nicely.

[telyni]

The Optimus system consists of two primary components: First, the electric actuator at the stern that connects to the outboard (one per engine) and second, the electronic, drive-by-wire helm unit to which the steering wheel mounts. The electric actuator turns the motor by spinning roller screws inside the threaded body of the actuator. The system also has a display and wiring harness. The wiring harness connects to the side of the actuator, the boat’s batteries, the helm unit and the boat’s NMEA 2000 network. There are three CANBus networks running; two are used for communications between helm units and the actuators, and the third communicates with the boat’s NMEA 2000 electronics. The Optimus display is currently required for all installations. You can also add a joystick with multiple engines for easier maneuvering, dynamic positioning and autopilot. The joystick includes a high-precision attitude, heading and position sensor package to accurately maneuver the vessel. more

[memen]

Before beginning the installation, I was mostly concerned with pulling the large wiring bundle through my boat. Fortunately, Cobia built the boat with a 4-inch PVC rigging tube that was only about half full. Between the relatively empty chase, the use of fiber-glass fishing rods and the assistance of my petite, 12-year-old daughter Molly (who I parked upside down inside the console to grab the wire bundle as it came through), the wiring -harness was quickly in place. [links]

[DiabloD3]

My direct basis for comparison is the well-used Baystar hydraulic steering, which had a worn helm pump that made the turning effort asymmetrical, with turns to port requiring much more effort than starboard. This added up to a fatiguing experience, especially in slow zones where more corrections are required to keep the boat straight. I could have replaced the old helm pump and resolved some of my issues with the existing steering, but I wouldn’t have enjoyed the many benefits of electronic steering. [links]

[Lord Jebe]

Completing the CAPTCHA proves you are a human and gives you temporary access to the web property.

[Tim]

If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware.

[bagazaga]

If you are at an office or shared network, you can ask the network administrator to run a scan across the network looking for misconfigured or infected devices. more

[TopSoil]

Steering can sometimes be difficult with higher horsepower motors at higher speeds, or when turning tight turns using hydraulic steering. If turning your steering wheel is too hard (in the way you use your pontoon boat,) an electric power steering pump can be easily installed after the fact.

[dogparts]

150 HP (2013) Mercury Fourstroke with 15x15P SS Enertia (Thanks Todd!) - 41 MPH at 5800 RPM, light load. 39 MPH at 5700 RPM, heavy load. Love this motor. here

[davout]

Teleflex makes two different systems: Baystar (lower hp motors) and SeaStar (higher hp motors.) The SeaStar is usually recommended from 150 hp and up.

[alenmatias]

Let me simplify things. Hydraulic steering consists of a pump, which is underneath your steering wheel hub, attached to a cylinder attached to the front of the outboard motor. There are two long hydraulic hoses linking the units.

[esop]

115 HP (2012) Mercury 4 Stroke with Black Max 13-3/4 x 15P. - 35 MPH at 6400 RPM with light load, but here

[Markjupiter]

If so, seems like a no brainer to add the "first stage" and see how it works. here

[jack8logan]

Question: I’ve noticed that it’s getting harder and harder to turn the steering wheel on my two-year-old outboard-powered boat. The boat has hydraulic assist. I’ve checked the fluid and it’s topped right up to the correct level. Everything looks clean and corrosion-free. Any clues on what may be causing this?

[ElidiaI39]

The red arrow points to the hex nut on the support bracket. Note the smaller nylock nuts on the ends of the steering links.

[dhaniellemar63]

Your hydraulic steering may not be lubricated well, even though it looks clean. Disassembly required.

[skinnyp83]

Answer: You don’t tell us much about you boat or the motor, but I can share a similar experience and what I found relative to this problem. In the photo above the red arrow is pointing to a large hex nut on the outboard engine support bracket. This arrangement is pretty common to all outboard engines in this size range. This nut caps one end of what is called the “steering tube” on the engine. These tubes are not actually sealed very well and water does manage to migrate into the tube during normal use. There are grease fittings located at either end of the tube and these need to be greased annually at the very least. Doing this will help to keep water from migrating into the tube and help to lubricate the link arm shown in the photo. This arm is connected to the hydraulic steering assist hydraulic ram.

[hebrew15]

Most rigs come from the manufacturer with steering already installed, connected and bled, ready for use. However, if you are retrofitting an older boat with a new system, now's the time to study up on what you'll need. While doing web research on your own is a great way to gather information, if you've never selected and installed a hydraulic system, visit a dealer first and speak to a knowledgeable technician. Get the right advice on which system would best fit your hull, engine, application, and installation. here

[Cynosure]

Fortunately, hydraulic systems require little maintenance. A good way to check the system each time you use your boat is to steer the engine hard over lock-to-lock. This will allow you to see if it's leaking or needs a fresh bleeding.

[MH80]

If you're in need of a new system, strongly consider a hydraulic one. Unless you are on a tight budget, hydraulic is really the best way to go. Hydraulic steering systems are much smoother and easier to steer than cable systems. They operate on a very simple principle: When you turn the steering wheel, hydraulic fluid moves through a series of valves in the helm/pump assembly, through hoses, and back to the engine. The fluid is forced to apply pressure on one side or the other of an engine steering cylinder (ram) to move the engine to port or starboard.

[tyler]

To complete the installation, you will likely simply buy a kit (as opposed to buying separate components). Kits typically come with helm/reservoir assembly, engine-mounted cylinder, hydraulic hoses, enough hydraulic fluid to fill and bleed the system once installed, and a hardware kit to make it all work together. Here are some tips when selecting a system: [links]

[jimcramer]

You'll need to remove the fill cap on the steering before topping up the oil.