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Test drove a 2000 LSV


Texasguy

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Today I test drove a 2000 LSV and I was very impressed with the ride, speed and the wake. I noticed that the steering wheel was very "heavy" and hard to turn while underway. Sitting still the wheel was good but once the throttle was applied it got heavy. No weight, no wedge.

If you have any ideas or experience please let me know.

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At "medium" speeds the force on the rudder will make it harder to turn on an inboard. Once you are crusing on plane, or at very low speeds, it should be really easy to turn. A bad cable is hard to turn... all the time.

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Well this one is very easy nutral and heavy, maybe even what I would say is hard at any sort of speed from 10 on up. I'v driven inboards for years but this feels hard to turn. It did track straight.

I could turn the rudder be hand when on the trailer and it seemed easy enough.

Am I correct to assume that not all LSV's are hard to turn at speed?

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My buddy's Mastercraft did this same thing. Ended up the rudder shaft needed grease. Without a "skin" of grease all the way around the rudder shaft the force of the water against the rudder will actually tip the shaft in the "rudder box" (if that's the right name, I don't recall) causing it to bind. At least, that's my theory for why greasing it solved the problem. He had the same symptoms, easy in nuetral/idle but once the boat was going it would take two hands to crank it.

Good luck.

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Thanks guys.

After going out on another VLX I'm not going to consider the LSV with the heavy steering. Wow what a difference, the VLX was Much faster out of the hole and very easy to drive. I also saw first hand what ya'll talk about when you say that the diamond hull is Much more difficult to get a good wakeboard wake or a surf wake. I guess if you NEED to haul a ton of people then LSV may be the boat. Otherwise I believe the VLX is the boat for me.

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Well this one is very easy nutral and heavy, maybe even what I would say is hard at any sort of speed from 10 on up.  I'v driven inboards for years but this feels hard to turn.  It did track straight.

I could turn the rudder be hand when on the trailer and it seemed easy enough.

Am I correct to assume that not all LSV's are hard to turn at speed?

My '00 LSV steers no heavier than the other Malibus I have owned or driven.

The rudder grease theory might be valid. Obviously something is wrong with that boat.

The other thing that is interesting is when you stated that it tracks straight.

Something must be tight/binding, as the boat should turn right if you let go of the wheel.

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Well this one is very easy nutral and heavy, maybe even what I would say is hard at any sort of speed from 10 on up.  I'v driven inboards for years but this feels hard to turn.  It did track straight.

I could turn the rudder be hand when on the trailer and it seemed easy enough.

Am I correct to assume that not all LSV's are hard to turn at speed?

My '00 LSV steers no heavier than the other Malibus I have owned or driven.

The rudder grease theory might be valid. Obviously something is wrong with that boat.

The other thing that is interesting is when you stated that it tracks straight.

Something must be tight/binding, as the boat should turn right if you let go of the wheel.

Ditto

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I had this problem on my SeaRay 2 years ago. The power steering fluid was contaminated. I replaced it and it got a lot easier to drive.

Replaced the SeaRay? Biggrin.gif

Texasguy - chose the boat you like, but I wouldn't judge it on the steering. The cable is easy to replace, and can get stiff. It will steer like a dream with a new cable.

Of course a VLX will be quicker out of the hole, but it is a smaller boat.

Edited by SacRiverRat
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I had this problem on my SeaRay 2 years ago. The power steering fluid was contaminated. I replaced it and it got a lot easier to drive.

Replaced the SeaRay? Biggrin.gif

Texasguy - chose the boat you like, but I wouldn't judge it on the steering. The cable is easy to replace, and can get stiff. It will steer like a dream with a new cable.

Of course a VLX will be quicker out of the hole, but it is a smaller boat.

Don't let the steering be the deciding factor. A steering cable can go bad in no time at all and once its replaced its as good as new. Ours went out within a couple of times out. At first it was a little stiff then it was a PITA, then it became dangerous so we replaced it and all was good.

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I had this problem on my SeaRay 2 years ago. The power steering fluid was contaminated. I replaced it and it got a lot easier to drive.

Replaced the SeaRay? Biggrin.gif

The Sea Ray was a great boat for 14 years, but no where near the performance of the LSV. Yahoo.gif

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I had this problem on my SeaRay 2 years ago. The power steering fluid was contaminated. I replaced it and it got a lot easier to drive.

Replaced the SeaRay? Biggrin.gif

The Sea Ray was a great boat for 14 years, but no where near the performance of the LSV. Yahoo.gif

I'm not so sure Sea Ray and Great Boat should be used in the same sentance. :lol:

Brad B, I know I won't let a steering cable "steer" Biggrin.gif my decision. It's just that I have decided that I don't need a 23 foot boat because we ski off a dock and dont carry all our stuff and people too. Also, coming from an 18' Ski Nautique the VLX is as large feeling as I can take in one jump.

Edited by Texasguy
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I had this problem on my SeaRay 2 years ago. The power steering fluid was contaminated. I replaced it and it got a lot easier to drive.

Replaced the SeaRay? Biggrin.gif

The Sea Ray was a great boat for 14 years, but no where near the performance of the LSV. Yahoo.gif

I'm not so sure Sea Ray and Great Boat should be used in the same sentance. :lol:

I sold Sea Ray for 8 years before selling Bu's. SR has one of the best boats on the market. Their sport cruisers and sport yachts are second to none.

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