Second off season project completed

Steering from lock to lock on our boat (Coursemaster Hydrive hydraulic system) was almost 6 turns. Too much for me, especially in a following sea. The sole US Hydrive rep said to buy a new ram and helms (for two stations), which would have been very expensive. But when I said I couldn't afford that, he got very helpful and suggested, if my tiller arm setup and rudder stops would allow it, to move the pivot point where the ram connects to end of the tiller arm in from 8" from the center of the rudder shaft to 6" from it. He said steering effort might go up a bit.

So, with a little machining and moving of the attachment points of the rudder indicators, I did it.

Now I have 4 turns lock to lock and steering effort is barely noticeable. Before the change, there was zero effort which was a bit disconcerting to me

Good deal! Isn't it great when you can make a nice *improvent for almost free?

dwhatty wrote:Now I have 4 turns lock to lock and steering effort is barely noticeable. "Before the change, there was zero effort which was a bit disconcerting to me"

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Dave:*
Obviously I have the same problem and am excited about your fix. I agree,
that having "no" resistance on the helm is just a little unnerving. I'm assuming you
still have full angle on the rudder when the helm is hard over.

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SeaHorse II wrote:
I'm assuming you still have full angle on the rudder when the helm is hard over.

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Affirmative. But, I was told by the Coursemaster rep to try not to jamb the tiller arm hard against the rudder stops as the ram now isn't fully, or close to fully, out (or in) when the tiller arm hits the stops. He was concerned about the amount of force the ram could continue to exert.

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Make the srops stronger and add a poly bumper??

jleonard wrote:

Make the srops stronger and add a poly bumper??

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I think the stops are strong enough. Perhaps the concern was more possible damage to the ram?

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I use the "ram" AS a stop. It sorta sticks if put really hard over but I asked the mechanics at Harbor Marine (where we bought the components) if that was acceptable practice and they had to call the manufactures in Canada. They said yes it was OK to do.
My system is not anywhere near zero resistance. The components are so big I think I have excessive seal friction. The helm is a "Capilano" and it has an adjustment screw that enables one to choose (with my ram) from 2.25 to 5.8 turns L to L. I keep it adjusted at 2.75 TLL. More friction than I'd like but tolerable in big following seas.

nomadwilly wrote:

I use the "ram" AS a stop. It sorta sticks if put really hard over but I asked the mechanics at Harbor Marine (where we bought the components) if that was acceptable practice and they had to call the manufactures in Canada. They said yes it was OK to do.
My system is not anywhere near zero resistance. The components are so big I think I have excessive seal friction. The helm is a "Capilano" and it has an adjustment screw that enables one to choose (with my ram) from 2.25 to 5.8 turns L to L. I keep it adjusted at 2.75 TLL. More friction than I'd like but tolerable in big following seas.

Click to expand...

Would love to have the adjustable lock to lock. That's a great reature. But the cost of retrofitting two helms and possibly the ram as well is not financially justifiable for us. I notice that Hydrive now makes a helm unit with adjustable feedback. That would be a nice feature to have as well.

If you use the slave cylinder as a rudder stop (as I have done) you achive greater mechanical advantage. 100 % of the travel of the cylinder is used so the attach point on the rudder horn can be further out on the horn**** ...hence greater mech advantage.
The rudder stops dwhatty shows would be easy to make and install. I should do that and adjust the stop so the piston gets stopped just a tad before the end of piston travel. My rudder has 45 degrees deflection so I could afford a loss of 1%.