The Steamboating Forum

I have had the hydraulic steering since launching Catawissa. I would not have any other. The rudder position is not a problem since I modified the set up to require only one full turn lock to lock. Out of the box the 1.7 cu. in. helm and the 1.250in. cylinder requires 4.5 turns. To find midships just turn to either lock and go back one half turn. Because of a very small amount of hydraulic slip it is not possible to have a "king spoke" as you can with cable or rope steering. With two helms the relative positions of the two wheels become totally scrambled. With the low power and speed involved with steam launches the one turn set up is no problem, even when backing because of the rudder position locking feature of the helm. The system is designed to handle up to 150 hp. and 60 mph. or some such enormous amount. The cable systems are very good, I considered them but went for the hydraulic because I wanted two steering stations and the cable systems are not as well suited to that set up. My wife especially likes it because you can stand any aspiring Steamboat Willie on top of the tool box and let them steer the boat from the forward helm while I can override any steering problems that may arise with the tyro helmsman never the wiser.

best regards, Steamboat Mike

I had thought of different ways to steer my launch but have little experience in that realm so I am going to throw this one out there for ya to giggle at. I like the sound of the hydraulic system simply because routing SS tubes and short flex hoses, to me, looks a lot nicer and is easier to modify than sheathed pre-assembled cables or cables and pulleys.

Barbara has a hydraulic system on her power boat and it works great except for one small problem (which I hate!).

There is no way to know the rudder position. The only way to center the rudder is to run the wheel all the way one way and then come back half way. I know how many turns stop to stop. You can guess why.

Hey Mike... How about a single small cable like from a bicycle whose only purpose is to indicate rudder angle?

Cheers
Scott

On Barbara's boat the indicator would have to be visible from both helm positions. Electrical is probably the only practical solution for her.

The problem for me in all of the systems that involve an arm on the rudder post is that they run up against a geometrical problem at larger rudder angles. I know, who needs any angle beyond 45 degrees? Well, I have found that I spend a surprising amount of time fooling about in very tight quarters. Like trying to turn around in marinas and such. Even though the rudder is more of a brake than a turning device at, say, 70 degrees of deflection, that is fine by me. I don't want to go forwards. I just want a stern thruster!

I'll be sticking to either a quadrant (More like a half turn. What's word for that? Halfdrant?) or a sprocket. I have all the bits for a chain, cable and sprocket system so that will probably be this Winters steering project. Along with a larger rudder, that is.

Mike

Hey Mike

Actually what I had in mind is just wrapping the bycicle cable around the rudder post. The indicator could be a brass tube inside another brass tube with a big spring in it to hold the cable tight. That way when you turned the post the small cable would wind or unwind and the brass tube inside the other would move in and out of the other sorta like a linear air pressure gauge for tires. Then you could scribe a set of lines showing whatever angle you wanted since the cable goes all the round the rudder post it coule read through 360 degrees easy.

Get it?

Cheers
Scott

This is a way bigger boat than you imagine. A 40' houseboat with two chevy 305s and two rudders. The rudder posts are hidden down under a swim step. The two steering stations are way up front, one inside and one up top. It would be a hilarious snarl to try and make any mechanical system work. Sort of like the bell cords to call the servants in an old mansion.

Fun to contemplate, though.

Mike

Hey Mike

Yeah two rudders and two steering stations would be a bugger to fit something like that too but I actually had your steam launch in mind.

I will be using hydraulic steering only it will be more of a custom job now. Reading all these posts has me running into all sorts of problems before I even have a boat!

I had not considered the small amount of drift the hydraulic system would have and your post about the annoyance of not knowing the rudder angle, as well explaining why you like having the ability to position the rudder at extreme angles got me thinking of a solution to both.


Cheers
Scott

Emilyanne (22ton 58ft canal narrowboat) uses a cable based system with a fabricated steel quadrent on the rudder post under the back deck, a length of motorcycle chain over a sproket on the back of the wheel, and high strength dynema rope about several pulleys between them.

Previously the system used 4mm plastic coated cable as used on commertially available outboard stearing kit which did a fine job to but after 20years was worn out and the change made.

I wanted to use 6mm galvanised wire rope as used by Geoff Newton on Suliven, but the biggest issue I found was sourcing suitable pulleys that would mount in the way we needed and would suit the bend radius of the wire, hence moving to rope and smaller dia pulleys as I didnt have the time or inclination to make my own as Geoff did.

Steering is just under 8 turns lock to lock which is about right for the size of wheel and thurst, with about a 70deg max rudder angle and a steel 'schilling' profile rudder with about 25% balance. The cad image on the wiki article are of our rudder.

Rudder position doesn't walk clearly, but equally as the rudder post extends above the deck (will take a swan neck and tiller in emergencies) and can be seen from the helm, a line on this gives all the indication required.


Daniel