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Molly

Molly

Senior Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
127
Location
USA
Vessel Name
La Bella Vita
Vessel Make
2006 Mainship 34T
I finally took delivery on a 2006 Mainship 34 Trawler. Nice boat!
I bought it in Stuart and took her across the state to the west coast and home to Punta Gorda.
It was a great trip. Coming from sail boats, I never went thru locks, usually they are in places that can't accommodate a sail boats w/o dropping the mast. The trip was just over 200 miles, a nice maiden voyage.
The boat performed as expected, that would be wonderfully.
I did have 1 thing that I noticed. I was at the upper station exclusively the entire trip. There was a small "drizzle" of steering fluid running down under the steering wheel. I topped it off toward the end of the trip, it only took maybe 2 tbs. I know, even a small leak is not good. Has anyone had this issue? I was going to just open things up and take a look. I expect a loose connection somewhere. Any hints?

I will post pictures over the next few days. I have some pictures going thru the locks and the dolphins playing in my wake.

Great trip, great boat! FYI....I averaged 10 GPH traveling at 2600 RPM and 9 - 11 knots.

Buddy
mv La Bella Vita
 
Pretty much everyone has, or will have, that issue!

You have a bad seal. At some stage you will need to have it rebuilt. I did my own once - but never again. It is a messy job, and can be tough to remove the wheel etc. Plus you have to get the air out of the system afterwards!

Nothing dangerous with leaving it for the season, but it will get worse.
 
Unless a hose is loose, it is probably a seal leaking. There are places you can send it in to be rebuilt. I had a Seastar hydraulic cylinder on a previous boat that was leaking. Sent it to boat steering rebuilders.com I think. Quick turnaround and worked great.
 
Congrats on your new vessel!

Had the same issue on my Wagner Hydraulic steering at both helms. I had both rebuilt with new seals/O-rings for about $500.
 
Last edited:
Congratulations on your new boat. You probably had a wet trip with all of the rain here in S Florida over the last few weeks.



I owned a Mainship 34T some years ago and had a similar problem, but on the lower helm. It was the npt hose fitting to the hydraulic pump casing that was leaking. Tightened it and it still leaked. Slathered some Permatex on the fitting and tightened it and it still leaked.


I finally concluded that it was a hairline crack in the hydraulic pump casting probably as a result of overtightening at the factory and left it alone. The permanent fix would have been a new hydraulic steering pump. It did take a half a cup of hydraulic fluid a couple of times a year.


David
 
Also, be sure that there is not too much fluid in the unit. On my Hydrive unit, the instructions say to only fill to the shaft level otherwise it WILL leak past the seals. Just the same, my upper helm leaks even if filled to the proper level in roughish seas when there is a whole lot of helm correction going on. Have replaced the seals twice, but still leaks under such conditions.
 
Molly said:
I finally took delivery on a 2006 Mainship 34 Trawler. Nice boat!
I bought it in Stuart and took her across the state to the west coast and home to Punta Gorda.
It was a great trip. Coming from sail boats, I never went thru locks, usually they are in places that can't accommodate a sail boats w/o dropping the mast. The trip was just over 200 miles, a nice maiden voyage.
The boat performed as expected, that would be wonderfully.
I did have 1 thing that I noticed. I was at the upper station exclusively the entire trip. There was a small "drizzle" of steering fluid running down under the steering wheel. I topped it off toward the end of the trip, it only took maybe 2 tbs. I know, even a small leak is not good. Has anyone had this issue? I was going to just open things up and take a look. I expect a loose connection somewhere. Any hints?

I will post pictures over the next few days. I have some pictures going thru the locks and the dolphins playing in my wake.

Great trip, great boat! FYI....I averaged 10 GPH traveling at 2600 RPM and 9 - 11 knots.

Buddy
mv La Bella Vita
Click to expand...
Hope you enjoy your new Mainship trawler.
 
"I topped it off toward the end of the trip, it only took maybe 2 tbs. I know, even a small leak is not good. Has anyone had this issue? I was going to just open things up and take a look. I expect a loose connection somewhere. Any hints?"


The hud fluid is usually red color so EZ to see on a paper towel.


Clean the unit , then see if there is a leak when movingthe wheel, or from the auto pilot being operated.


If filled to the "brim" when cold the leak may just be expanded fluid as it gets warm.


Good hunting,
 
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