hydraulic steering

[Noelm]

HI All, some of you might know that I am rebuilding my Cat to sell it, I want to fit hydraulic steering, fitted it to Sharkcats with motor wells and it is a breeze, my boat has pods and I have fitted bullhorn types before on boats with pods, but after doing some "googling" it seems you can get a single ram setup, and a hydraulic "tie bar" that would seem to me to be a good idea, but there seems to be some issue with keeping the motors aligned, anyone ever owned, fitted , repaired any such system? and while we are on the subject, any you guys dealers that might be able to offer a good price on the twin bull horn setup? just in case, you know I am a tight ar$e and always after a bargain, shame to fix the steering after all these years and never get to enjoy it huh!

[Tracker]

tie rods are adjustable.

[Noelm]

yep, they are indeed, but not when they are HYDRAULIC! but they must have some sort of vave to set it up in the first place.

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Noel,

The one I use is the Seastar Catamaran Kit.
You centre the ram before you fill it with oil ... these are slightly different to the bullhorn setups and cant use balancing valves.
If they need adjusting I crack open a bleed valve and centre the motors that way.
I have fitted the single Seastar ram to my 18' Sharkcat.
NoosaCat uses the same system.
The kit is about a grand.

Cheers

Pete

[Noelm]

OH, so it is not quite as tricky as it would seem, I have a bit of a problem that with the design of my stern (on the boat that is) I will need the bullhorn system, or I was just thinking that maybe this hydraulic tie bar might be interesting, I cannot mount a central "double ended" ram and have a solid tie bar on each end, it would just be too difficult/tricky, I was sort of thinking of just replacing the stuffed cable and selling it as is, but I just could not inflict that sort of pain on the new owner, so I thought I might just spend a few grand and hope to recoup the cost and maybe make the sale easier/quicker, or sell as is and hope to get a home handyman buyer.

[Spaniard_King]

Noel,

you will need to fit 2 rams no matter what you do!

The term Hydraulic tie bar you may have read incorrectly, there are no magic systems for your rig. Twin rams are the only way to go with an aligning valve.

[Noelm]

yeah, I sort of guessed that, but it just kind of sparked my interest to try something a bit different, I guess I imagined that the "primary" ram would be a standard sort of bullhorn, and the second one would be (maybe) a small one making a nicer neater installation, but if it is no real difference, then I will just fit the old tried and proven two bullhorn setup, because I have pods, well space is not a problem, so whatever I can get the cheapest will be the way I go, it might be so good that I keep the boat (maybe)

[cormorant]

You can fit a single bullhorn and just run a tiebar to the second motor as bulhorns are rated for that. Depends on set up of your pods and motors or rear access

Doe sthe cable currently have a tie bar between motors??

I would just go with new quality teflon cables as they are so much better than the older styles or free up the existing ones if you have the time by removing them and doing a propper job and dry silicon spray when putting them back together. Buyers don't pay a premium for new stuff

Your not selling the cat are ya???

Tell em they are dreaming??

What would replace it??

[Noelm]

I have a twin cable setup, (no tie bar) one cable is completely stuffed, the other is sort of OK, at full speed the steering is great, light as a feather and very responsive and at troll it is OK, anywhere in between and turning the wheel is out of the question, you just sort of heave on it and deviate slightly off course, do you reckon the new cables are much better? if they are I will give them a try, but if marginal, I will just replace the lot, and to answer your questions, 1) yep, going to sell it, 2) hope I am not dreaming, 3) and another Cat 18' looking for a centre console maybe, as my fishing and family needs has changed with the advent of fishing grand kids! well a grand child that seems to be enthusiastic at a very young age.

[cormorant]

The newest cables can do very tight radius corners and have a load less resistance than anything there was 5 yeras ago. I am sure you've done it but check it isn't a helm, routing or motor pivot causing the resistance as I have had a collapsed pivot tube that was different resistance at different speeds and wasn't consistant if you know what I mean. No use new cables if there is other issues. Boat show on soon so they will be on display at Sydney I would think.

Yeah the kids love cats and freak a little when a mono leans whan they go to one side and they love the high sides as they feel safe. Spray in a center console cat would shit me to tears - well more the people next to me and hate loss of storage and dry area.

I'll see if I still have the contact number of the wholesalers that make up custom cables - cheaper than BLA agency. They are not allowed to advertise boat controls as they "sold" rights to that part off but still have all the jigs and as long as it is a non standard length ( 10mm different) they are allowed to do them. We get some machinery stuff done by them. Price them up but still reckon if you are selling a good clean will get you 6 months out of the existing ones and the new owner can do what he likes

[Tracker]

yep, they are indeed, but not when they are HYDRAULIC! but they must have some sort of vave to set it up in the first place.

sorry, but our hydraulic single ram setup on two work cats had adjustable tie bars. Maybe they dont use them anymore but it sure helped to setup.:-/

[Spaniard_King]

sorry, but our hydraulic single ram setup on two work cats had adjustable tie bars. Maybe they dont use them anymore but it sure helped to setup.:-/


Tracker.. Noelm was refering to an Hydraulic tie bar setup mot a hydraulic cylinder with a tie bar;)

[Dean1]

Is this the setup your'e after Noelm? Not the best pic but the best I could do for now.

[Noelm]

Dean, that is what I want, but my "duckboard" is quite low and it would be tricky to fit something like that under it, might see if I can get some exact measurements and have a closer look.

[Dean1]

Dean, that is what I want, but my "duckboard" is quite low and it would be tricky to fit something like that under it, might see if I can get some exact measurements and have a closer look. Mine came out of the factory this way but there was a few changes made to accomadate for the 4's, a simple fix tho, washers etc., and the rod adaptor on the motors were spun 180 degrees to get the bar down lower. Earlier KC's had a lower duckboard but they can be lifted without too much drama. I'll reply to your PM with measurments soon. Cheers.

[Johnnymac]

HI All, some of you might know that I am rebuilding my Cat to sell it, I want to fit hydraulic steering, fitted it to Sharkcats with motor wells and it is a breeze, my boat has pods and I have fitted bullhorn types before on boats with pods, but after doing some "googling" it seems you can get a single ram setup, and a hydraulic "tie bar" that would seem to me to be a good idea, but there seems to be some issue with keeping the motors aligned, anyone ever owned, fitted , repaired any such system? and while we are on the subject, any you guys dealers that might be able to offer a good price on the twin bull horn setup? just in case, you know I am a tight ar$e and always after a bargain, shame to fix the steering after all these years and never get to enjoy it huh!
dont bother i have twin rams , much easier toi drive and repair if needed