Hydraulic Steering Outboard Pros and Cons

More and more boats are being built with higher horsepower outboard engines. That is making the need for hydraulic steering more common and we have many customers ask us about hydraulic steering outboard pros and cons all the time. The other thing that is happening is people are upgrading their used boat to have this feature also. In this video we will cover:

0:00 Intro
0:50 Explanation of hydraulic steering
1:50 Traditional cable steering
2:35 Handling benefit of hydraulic steering
3:10 Cons of hydraulic steering
4:20 Our recommendation on when you should have hydraulic steering
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For more info check out these resources:

*Outboard vs Sterndrive Power on Boats:

*One on one boat chat to ask me questions:

*Len's Cove Learning Center:
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Connect with us!

[jbrannon]

It's also helpful if you're routing the lines on a "custom" boat. I'm building an older 26" pontoon amd in changing it from a starboard drive to a stand up center console. Instead of routing the big thick cable through all of those turns in the build its much easier to run 2 smaller hydraulic hoses.

[minhly]

Thx I been following ur channel sure learn a lot

[dirkbryan]

I put grease in the seastar hydraulic steering fitting what damage did I do

[fishin]

Retired marine tech here. Never ever will I have hydro steering. To slow, like he says, lock to lock to many turns. 9 out of 10 people might prefer it, but just wait until you have to maneuver fast, like docking, or running across the lake at 60-70 mph. Of course that’s my opinion, I love my cable, tested hundreds and hundreds of boats in my career and there were quite a few close calls that I had to miss something in the water or when docking in stiff winds. I could not ‘feel’ the boat either when running in a really fast boat doing upwards of 80-90 mph. Again sorry but it’s just me.

[brettolsson]

We bought our first boat last year, a new 20' bowrider with a 150HP motor and with hydraulic steering. Being new to boating, I was expecting something closer to power steering in a car, but our boat's steering feels closer to power steering in a car with the motor turned off. Pity they didn't have power steering as an option...

[mattdpainter]

This may be a ridiculous question. I have a 14.5ft 1977 chaparral tri-hull. It currently has a 40hp outboard but I was given an 85hp that I’m almost ready to change out with the 40. I was looking at hydraulic steering but it’s about 3x the price (170$ v. 440$). Is it worth that difference? Would I even notice a difference at the scale I’m talking about?

[johnrodgers]

Thanks for the video. I am working with a 60 hp head to 40 hp output jet drive. The main issue I am finding is bend radius as I convert from right side remote steer to center console remote steer, and having 3 bends in the cable instead of 2. I need to replace the cable due to increased length, and also am limited to an 8" radius. I know this can be done, as I have seen it on other boats, but am considering going hydraulic to clean this up and simplify the routing. Thoughts?

[Richibald]

Hi Len what are your thoughts on a 225 hp outboard that uses a tiller arm. My thoughts are safety should you hit a log. Here in BC we have many many opportunities to really pivot that engine around fast enough to break a few ribs with that tiller as some logs are massive annnnd* unseen from surface. Safer to go hydraulic assist tiller steering or plain old tiller steer?

[sethnewton]

I've been told hydraulic steering gets very stiff and unresponsive during the winter. Is that true and if so is there a solution?

[victorfrankenstein]

Hi, is it still possible to stear the engine manually by hand when there is a hydraulic system mounted on the boat please? I wonder if it makes any harm to the hydraulic system. Thank you.

[JR-rccg]

Whats the word on the newer digital steering

[ericneering]

Well, I thought you were gonna teach us everything we needed to know but oh boy another video right with problems because you don’t teach us everything you need to know your teachers what we need to know to purchase the steering wheel or the hydraulic system from you you didn’t answer any of my questions

[josecastella]

I have a question in my boat i only have one cylinder with 2 115 hp Yamaha right now i am changing for two 150 hp Suzuki do you recommend to stay with only one seastart cylinder or two thanks

[matthewbutler]

You don’t need hydraulic over 115 ho I run a 200hp with rotary steering and it does just fine

[davidcooper]

What is that on your chin 😂 shave my friend and I’ll be less distracted from what you’re saying 😊. Good videos as always 👍