Need advice on Steering

[Blue_Runner]

I'm on my 2nd Teleflex NFB steering cable and I think it just crapped the bed. I want to go with hydraulic steering. My question is - how cheaply can I do this? From everything I'm seening it looks like it is going to be a $900 - $1000 endevour.

Anybody know of a lightly used system or something more along the lines of the $500 range??

Thanks!
Blue

[THEFERMANATOR]

If you have a 150 or smaller you can get the BAYSTAR steering for around $600 last I checked. ANd there is also U-FLEX making hydraulic steering for quite a bit less than SEASTAR. Check on EBAY also, I seen a few systems just before CHRISTMAS for about $800 with 20 foot hoses.

[Blue_Runner]

Dayum it. This is going to cost as my first boat - boat, motor and trailer.
And I really want to go fishing in a couple weeks.

THANKS FERM!

[randlemanboater]

Whats eatting the cables?

[phatdaddy]

Blue, i installed the nfb system 3 or 4 years ago in place of the regular teleflex that had been on the boat for 10 to 12 years. i have been very pleased with it, but the cable just came apart the other day. the rod on the end fell off of the spiral cable


no warning or play or anything. the motor is very free on the transom, i thought the steering arm had finally broke. i just went back with the nfb system because of the money issue.

[Blue_Runner]

Phat, I saw your post about your cable.

RB - The first cable broke just from wear. We were heading down the lake at 27 mph when it happened and the boat took a HARD right turn. Luckily nobody went in, but it was close.

Now after sitting on the trailer my steering froze and I think I screwed up my 1 year old cable by turning the wheel too hard trying to free it (there's play in it now).

Two things:
1) I want to fix it once and for all - don't want to buy a new cable every year or two.
2) Ever since that thing gave way on the lake at speed it makes me very nervous. Especially the abuse I put my V through in the ocean. Its hard on the steering when you put in 100 miles through 2-3 fters in one day alone with a full load.

That's my dilemna, so what do ya'll think? The Baystar makes me nervous because its "up to 150 hp". I'm leaning toward Seastar but man that $900 is gonna hurt big time!

[Skools Out]

don't buy the baystar they aren't worth the time it takes to install Parker and Grady stopped using them due to failures. Oh and Blue will you be at the boat show this weekend in Raleigh at the fairgrounds? I'm going Sat.

[steplift20]

thats sucks, but i have to ask you, do you have to frmove the engine everytime you replace the cable? i had to, you can get just the cable of helm at boat fix .com and there prices are pretty good, but hydrolic is the way to go, figure 1000 dollars, save up for it or you can check ebay, i never both anything from them but i here you get good deals.
if you go to ebay type in harlee rod hes got alot of fishing stuff and i think he has boat stuff too or you can call him, hes in jersey city, i think his number is listed

[cterrebonne]

bay stars now have a seastar type helm. much better but there arent a sea star. how often you use the boat?

[Blue_Runner]

Skools, no go on the boat show (wow I made a rhyme). You'll have to suffer through it without me.

Step, no I did not have to pull the engine on the V21. It might have something to do with the additional bracket-like setback on the V21's vs the standard transome on the V20's, I don't know. I saw the seastar unit that harlee rod has for sell. I noticed it shows the hoses on the box in the picture but the fine print says hoses not included.

CT - For the last 3 years I've used the boat year round until this past summer when my fishing buddy bought a 22' cc. Since then it hasn't seen much use.

Thanks for all of the input fellas, this is exactly the type info I was looking for.