Hydraulic steering?

[cowwboy]

I am doing hydro cylinder assist steering on my lifted diesel and it got me to thinking.

Outboard and I/O boats are going to power steering so why hasn't the tow boat industry gone to the hydraulic cylinder systems? 

Even it if wasn't power steering the hydraulic manual steering would never have the issues of steering cable wear / replacement.

With the modern mid 6 figure boats, I am surprised no one has made them an option. Even medium sized cruisers inboard cruisers have them.

Just another one of my mid winter missing the lake thoughts. 

 

[85 Barefoot]

it is an option.

[Ronnie]

$1067 option on 2017's.

[cowwboy]

Well that answers that. I honestly did not know it was an option.

That's kind of stout over the existing steering. But if you were spending 160k why not another 1k for improved steering. 

[Nitrousbird]

Besides being a lot of money, is it even worth it?  I am guessing you lose out on steering feel in exchange for steering that is a bit easier.  

[Dan Lee]

Hydraulic steering is standard for the salt water packages.  That seems to be the benefit where the environment will cause the cables to seize, otherwise, I'm one of the many that don't think steering needs to be improved, but I ran the cost analysis of how many cables would need to be changed vs the upgrade to hydraulic steering.  The same reason a stock F250 doesn't need hydro assist is why the standard steering hasn't changed much.  I feel your pain though, I had an F250 on 38s a few years ago.  I struggled with low speed steering for years.  I put on an AGR steering pump & it was a major improvement but never made the jump to hydro steering.

[bamaboy]

When you buy a Mastercraft and order the 7.4 L Ilmor, hydraulic steering is required.  It is also an option on MCs. 

I had it on my 2015 X-30 and it was awesome.  I loved it.  So smooth.  

[Fman]

Has anyone actually felt like they needed "hydraulic steering" on a wake boat?  I have owned quite a few boats and never have I felt like it was difficult to turn the wheel?   Maybe under full throttle cranking the wheel hard you can feel some resistance but just seems like another item that could end up breaking and a waist of money imo.

[Bill_AirJunky]

I don't think the big advantage is to make it easier to steer, but to do away with the old sliding cable setup currently in use.

[cowwboy]

Also a non powered hydraulic steering would not change the feedback feel.

But it could also make it easy to change the turns of the wheel / control of it by changing the cylinder size. 

If it wasn't for the cost I would have done it last time I replaced my cable. 

 

[bamaboy]

27 minutes ago, cowwboy said:

Also a non powered hydraulic steering would not change the feedback feel.

But it could also make it easy to change the turns of the wheel / control of it by changing the cylinder size. 

If it wasn't for the cost I would have done it last time I replaced my cable. 

 

The hydraulic steering on the X-30 was both smoother and easier to turn.  Surfing under load and WOT were the biggest differences.  Felt no different turning the wheel in those situations as compared with normal driving.