Emergency Steering

[boathealer]

"OK, so I watch far too many “Youtubers” boat(ing) videos. Recently one of them had a hydraulic steering ram blow up on them, and as a result had no steering. They had two separated engines (catamaran) which allowed them to steer to some extent, but it was far from efficient for any distance and was taxing to keep up with, especially with any wind and/or current."

I came up with a pretty simple method for emergency steering on our boat - perhaps it could be adapted to other boats as well.....

Link to full DIY writeup - Emergency Steering Setup



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m/V SCOUT, Great Harbour N37
http://n37scout.wixsite.com/travels
http://n37scout.wixsite.com/travels/blog

 

[rslifkin]

I've had thoughts of designing something for my boat, but unfortunately, it wouldn't be anywhere near as elegantly simple as yours. The steering gear on my boat is all under the aft bunk, behind the fuel tanks. So to get to it, you're face down on top of a fuel tank. And with no lazarette (aft cabin bulkhead is only a few inches from the transom), leading it up to the deck would be a challenge, so it would be a multi-person relay game to use any kind of setup.

 

[stubones99]

Tie a bucket or drogue in the center of a 50' line, and cleat off the ends to each side of the boat (catamaran in this case). Deploy the drogue or bucket. If you want to turn starboard, tighten the starboard end of the line, swinging the drogue off center, and pulling the boat toward starboard.

If you use floating polypropylene line, you're less likely to get the lines in the prop.

 

[FF]

Either a hole in the end of a rudder or an eye bolted on will allow a snap shakle with 2 lines to be quickly attached.


If the broken steering can be uncoupled , you are in business .

 

[menzies]

I have a valve which disconnects the hydraulics and a big heavy steering bar/wrench that fits over a nut on the steering tie bar. This us all in the lazarette so we would have to use headsets for instructions.

Frankly I am not sure how much effort would be required to turn the rudders so how effective it would all be, but there is no way that I am disconnecting everything to test it!

 

[koliver]

My boat came with a tiller that fits into a 1"square hole in a SS shaft that is just below the lazarette hatch, covered by a deck fitting similar to the fuel, water and waste bronze fittings. At the bottom, the shaft turns a bar connected to the rod that the ram pushes between the two rudders.
Never tried it to see how much effort would be required.
headsets would help, as visibility from the middle of the aft deck is poor.
This would likely only be used to put the rudders straight, then steering would be by increasing/decreasing power on each side.

 

[jimdavi]

We have the same emergency tiller accessed via swim platform panel.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Last May I idled out of my marina, steering with engines only, as usual. Upon reaching the channel, i spun the wheel, TO NO EFFECT. The purpose of the voyage was for a scheduled yard period, so I just continued, steering wth the throttles for 90 minutes. Doable, but very wobbly. Definitely glad this didnt occur at night, 40 miles offshore in the Gulf of Alaska during our 2018 cruise.

When we opened the steering ram, the seals literally crumbled to dust. The boat is approaching its 50th birthday, and it is only natural to expect original or even second generation equipment to fail, but it makes one wonder how far from help you are willing to travel.

Incidentally, I found a new ram for $900, but the yard advised re-building it for "$300 or so". Final cost of the rebuild? $900.

 

[BruceK]

My IG had a magnificent 5ft long teak tiller with socket which fitted the top of one of the rudder stocks, the 2 rudders being linked in a mechanical chain steering system. Apart from sanding and refinishing both teak and metal socket I never needed it. The replacement Integrity has hydraulic steering and no tiller arm. Instructions in the Manual are: in the event of steering failure steer using the 2 engines.
Thinking of the recurrent single vs twins "discussion", I don`t recall the steering capacity of twins was raised. A tiller arm might be very useful on a single,most Integrity boats have singles.

 

[SoWhat]

Thinking of the recurrent single vs twins "discussion", I don`t recall the steering capacity of twins was raised. A tiller arm might be very useful on a single,most Integrity boats have singles.

I don't think I have ever used steering coming into a marina. Transmissions only. If I ever lose an engine, then I would be sitting inside the lazarette with a 3' crescent wrench. (after the call to SeaTow)

(I did manage to back into slip 2 weeks ago with steering locked hard starboard. Kept telling wife "The wind must be stronger than I thought" Boat refused to behave. Finally got it roped up with the help of dockmates. Checked wheel later. Now on docking checklist)

 

[kapnd]

Tie a bucket or drogue in the center of a 50' line, and cleat off the ends to each side of the boat (catamaran in this case). Deploy the drogue or bucket. If you want to turn starboard, tighten the starboard end of the line, swinging the drogue off center, and pulling the boat toward starboard.

If you use floating polypropylene line, you're less likely to get the lines in the prop.

Might work on a small boat, but there’ll be significant tension on those lines, so you’ll only be able to let them out, with due caution, and probably not pull them in without stopping the boat.
An emergency tiller on a hydraulic system will only work with ram physically disconnected or a bypass valve opened.

 

[psneeld]

I used the bucket and center towline trick on a 26 foot Shamrick for about 2 miles to a boat ramp.


Would be interesting on a larger boat.....pulling the rig from side to side if possible with mechanical advantage might be hard but maybe not impossible.


I certainly don't recommend it for close maneuvering or constant corrections....not that a short emergency tiller will be much better without mechanical advantage assistance either.