Heavy steering

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Michaelo

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I have a 2018 Cutwater 242 with a 300 HP Yamaha outboard and I find it heavy to steer at speeds above 12...15 mph. It's fine at docking speeds. Any suggestions or is this just the way it is?
 
Michaelo":3elxgjwm said:
I have a 2018 Cutwater 242 with a 300 HP Yamaha outboard and I find it heavy to steer at speeds above 12...15 mph. It's fine at docking speeds. Any suggestions or is this just the way it is?
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Prop torque. If it was cable steering the wheel would pull hard to the right.The hydraulic steering essentially locks the helm wheel so it will not turn unless you turn it. The helm wheel is a hydraulic pump. So turning the pump against the resistance caused by the prop torque makes it hard to turn or as you put it Heavy steering. It is completely normal. It should get easier to turn also when the boat is up and running on a plane with the engine slightly trimmed up.
 
For a few thousand dollars... you can add power steering like the bigger Cutwaters have with the dual outboards. At speed the steering is heavy enough on my RT-27OB that my wife doesn't want any part of piloting the boat. I am considering adding power steering so she can enjoy the boat as well.
 
On all the larger outboards I have owned there is an adjustable fin behind the prop. Sometimes it is a big zinc. If that exists on your Yamaha you adjust it to offset the p factor. You should be able to make the helm feel fairly neutral at speed when that adjustment is correct.
 
Salty7":1ia4u3k9 said:
On all the larger outboards I have owned there is an adjustable fin behind the prop. Sometimes it is a big zinc. If that exists on your Yamaha you adjust it to offset the p factor. You should be able to make the helm feel fairly neutral at speed when that adjustment is correct.
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That will help if the steering is "heavy" or pulling in one direction. The trim fin is intended to offset the prop torque(mentioned previously) If the issue is not directional it's just a function of load and has nothing to do with torque. Several tons of boat moving at speed doesn't change direction without some force being applied. There's a reason they don't offer a tiller steering option for larger outboards.
 
At the risk of being boring, I remember working on the steering system on the Priam as an engineer cadet in 1966. About 12,000 dwt and 550 ft long. With 33,000 SHP, the last of the big diesels, she could do 18 kts cruise. No power steering but lots of turns lock to lock. Glad it wasn't an outboard!

Memories 🙂
 
2017 Ranger Tug 29CB-- Boat wants to turn left when under power. You have to keep turning the wheel to the right to make boat run straight. I checked for leaks. There were none. All helm resivors were full. Boat has a Garmin Autopilot. Boat will run straight when under autopilot control. But, the autopilot seems to having to keep turning the boat to the right to make it run straight. What is the problem?
 
Chili Pepper":2iw3uv8l said:
2017 Ranger Tug 29CB-- Boat wants to turn left when under power. You have to keep turning the wheel to the right to make boat run straight. I checked for leaks. There were none. All helm resivors were full. Boat has a Garmin Autopilot. Boat will run straight when under autopilot control. But, the autopilot seems to having to keep turning the boat to the right to make it run straight. What is the problem?
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You may have leak-by in the valve body of the pump. To check this close the shut-off valve screws. ( screw them in) When disengaging the shutoff valve, do not force the brass screws past the stopping point. Forcing the screws past the stopping point may permanently damage the manifold.


Garmin instructions
"This pump features three shutoff valves that isolate the pump from the hydraulic system for troubleshooting and repairing the system.
When the shutoff valves are engaged, the boat steers normally, and the autopilot cannot control the steering system. When the shutoff valves are engaged, you can remove the pump from the manifold for repair without disconnecting any hydraulic lines.
1 To engage the shutoff valves, fully tighten the valve screws."

If you close the shut off valves and operate the boat do not use the auto pilot. When operating the boat you notice the helm is controlling the boat properly there may be an issue with the pump check valves which requires pump replacement or rebuilding. Call Garmin tech support for more information if you feel this is the issue. There are several threads about this here in TugNuts most are Cutwaters.
 
Prop torque effect on helm is especially noticeable turning to PORT (direction prop turns) i.e. at high speed.
NOTE: Yamaha no longer installs the 'adjustable' prop-fin zinc. "CW/RT Hydraulic steering is considered enough to offset any "objectionable" prop. torque."
BTW: Our R27 OB prop. fin zinc just fell off one day. Yamaha replaced with new round-dome zinc. FWIW: No difference noticed with steering.
 
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