First experience with hydraulic steering

[Blind Owl]

My wife and I have bought a 1984 Roughwater 37. We closed the sale yesterday, and the broker took us out for what you couldn't call a sea trial, since we bought it sight unseen. I already knew that hydraulic steering doesn't have anywhere near the 'road' feel of good cable systems, let alone a tiller, but I was surprised how limp and dead it felt. I'm wondering what if anything can be done to tighten it up a little, though I know we'll never get feedback from it.

Comments/suggestions would be welcome. If that's simply how it is, we'll have to learn to live with it. The boat checked out great, by the way, and richly justified our jumping right in!

Cheers.

 

[Comodave]

Check and see if it is low on fluid. Some hydraulic systems use air pressure that can be low. Find out what brand and model it is. Or even a photo and someone may recognize it.

 

[rslifkin]

Effort required to turn the wheel will depend on the effective steering ratio, size of the rudders, etc. There's some feel, but only in the sense that as rudder load increases the wheel gets harder to turn. There's no feedback to feel anything when you're not actively moving the wheel, so it does take a little getting used to.

 

[SteveK]

Rudder position sensors are a good addition if you continue to find it uncomfortable to operate.