Hydraulic steering inboard kit

[IronZebra]

Looking at possibly changing cable steering on the Acadia 25 to hydraulic (future Autopilot considerations). So hydraulic inboard kit needed.

SeaStar seem to be the most widely reviewed but cost well over $1000.

Then I saw two others on Amazon (around $500 complete) but can't find much information on them. Woqi and Hydrodrive. Anyone know anything about these two?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079WWCKR6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A1EN5NE1E01L9K&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DND68SC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A2BZYCR50DZK8Z&psc=1

 

[Comodave]

Don’t know anything about these 2 systems. I do know that Seastar is a good system and has a good support system. I would be leery of installing an unknown system with all the work involved. Besides I would not want to loose steering at a bad time to a lesser quality system. Although these may be fine systems...

 

[Bkay]

I haven't heard about these systems either. I believe steering is one of the critical systems, so it's worth going with the most reliable system you can and if you have to cut somewhere else, then cut a non-critical comfort or aesthetics item.

Just my thots.

 

[LaBomba]

If the cable steering is working fine then why not just buy an autopilot to work with your system?

 

[IronZebra]

If the cable steering is working fine then why not just buy an autopilot to work with your system?

My Acadia 25 has the Raymarine SPX-5R autopilot. The drive unit is not working correctly and from what I have read is pretty much not supported anymore because it is so unreliable.

The autopilot controller and rate-gyro processor might be able to be used with a different drive unit. Maybe the sailboat wheel drive unit if I kept the cable steering. Maybe a hydraulic drive unit if I change over.

Problem with the cable steering is there just does not seem to be many options to make AP work.

 

[C lectric]

I used to see the sailboat A/P systems adapted to power boats. It took some thought and of course the drive unit needed to be adapted to the steering wheel for the belt. But it worked. These were adapted to slow boats such as CHB doing 7 Knots.

By driving the actual steering wheel it did not matter if the steering system was cable, push/pull cable or hydraulic.

I mention it only as an alternative. Some of the adapters were fiddlers of course and looked at it as a challenge but also did not want to change the entire system..

They are called Wheel Steering A/P and are still around.
Just an example:

https://www.sailboat-cruising.com/sailboat-autopilot.html