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Random Quote: Never try to teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time, and annoys the pig.
Is the steering tough in both directions or just one? has it always been difficult or just recently? If your wife and Dad use it frequently, you might want to make it easier for them..its easier on you in the long run
If you have room for a bigger steering wheel it's the most bang for the buck. If it steers EZ at idle but is hard both diections under load, grease the sterring pivot tube on the motor and/or replace the cable. If it's only hard in one direction at speed it's most likley the motor trim tab not adjusted to properly cancel prop torque. If you go with hydraulic steering, go with the smaller displacement pump to minimize steering effort. Good luck.
__________________ Ed Panzella
"BAITS MOTEL"
2450 MAYCRAFT PILOTHOUSE
Higganum, Ct
Seattle and Washington States Premiere Boston Whaler, Sea Ray, and Trophy Aficionado.
How can one be an "afficianado" of both Boston Whalers and Trophies at the same time? Aside from being owned by the same parent company, the two boats are about as diametrically opposed as any two fishing boats can be. And don't even get me started on Sea Rays.
If you are planning on keeping the boat for a while, put on a Baystar hyrdaulic system. I've replaced the cable steering on 2 boats with a 90 HP motor and it was a great improvement
If money is no object go with the hydraulic. I have had cable in all outboard boats I have owned and me or guests have never had difficulty. Just keep things greased and as someone had mentioned, trim proper.
__________________ "no matter how beautiful a woman is, someone, somewhere is sick of her sh*t"
41 Hatteras - Hatt'ras Bound Sportfishing
O.U.P.V. Captain
I had hydraulic steering, on all my boats for the last 20 years or so. If I had a choice, where hydraulic was not needed, I would not have it installed on my boat. On motors less than 100 hp it is a convenience, not really needed in most cases. Although, not a real maintenance issue with hydraulic, but after several years, even with good maintenance, you will have problems with it. The problems can be from the unit itself or parts of the motor, I know this from experience, you can do the service work your self, but it can be a PITA without extra hands.
__________________ If you think Education is expensive, try ignorance.
Lubricate the entire system and there is probably no need to replace. I had a Teleflex no feedback system with a 115 yamaha 4s and had zero problems. 90hp would not be reason enough for me to go hydraulic. Just my 2 cents.
My boating knowledge covers a wide spectrum and inlcudes more brands than these three. These are the brands that I have the most recent knowledge about. I want to pass on my expertise and be a go to person for all those looking or having questions,especially in the Seattle area. Feel free to ask anytime, and if I don't know the answer, I have many resources to find out for you or anyone that is so inclined. Have a great day!
Update- reviewed the steering system out of water & @ idle, all is good. Under power, it is only hard to turn to port, starboard is fine.
What adjustments should be made?
Adjust yout motor trim tab to give you more assist when turning to port. To do that you should move the trailing edge of the tab to starboard. The faster you go the more force the tab will apply to the motor in the direction of a turn to port.
__________________ Ed Panzella
"BAITS MOTEL"
2450 MAYCRAFT PILOTHOUSE
Higganum, Ct
With a 90 a cable system will be fine. With time the cable system's grease gets contaminated, and does not lube well. There used to be systems to lube the cable--I don't think that these exist any more. I had a boat with a stiff cable, so replaced the cable with Non feedback unit, and it steers as easily as any hyraulic (I have a comperable sized boat with hyraulic to compare with).
I have a 2001 Trophy with stiff twin cable steering. I have found that you cannot lube the cable runs easily. Disassembled and lubed both ends with no improvement. Just bought a complete Teleflex Baystar kit for this boat with a 125 hp Mercury for $479. Did you know that these systems can be bought under $500? My friends, commercial fishermen, in Maine told me to go hydraulic. I will put this in during the off season. Steering effort is just too hard now. Also am replacing throttle and gear shift cables as they are a little stiff.
Adjust yout motor trim tab to give you more assist when turning to port. To do that you should move the trailing edge of the tab to starboard. The faster you go the more force the tab will apply to the motor in the direction of a turn to port.
I would add, make adjustments in small increments till you find the sweet spot. Also test run it after each adjustment at the trim angle that you normally run.
__________________ Stratos 2500 wa
Twin 225 Johnsons
What is that sucking sound?
Hey Rich. Educate me a little on the trim tab purpose. Does the difference in thrust from the prop between top and bottom generate the side force that this tab is supposed to adjust for? My Merc has no such tab and steering effort is equally stiff at speed in both directions. As I mentioned above, I just bought a Baystar and will find out for myself just what I think of the change. Have read elsewhere on this site that there are strong feelings about hydraulic on smaller boats. In fact have learned that there are strong feelings about everything that goes with a boat. I am new to boats. I have had a great experience with my first boat, a 19 foot Trophy dual windshield with a 125 hp Merc. I have already learned a few lessons. First, the dual windshield is not a good solution for navigating around the rock studded waters off Stonington, Maine. Find myself standing all the time without the proper windshield protection. This has been a cheap lesson, however, as the entire boat, motor, and trailer was purchased for a little over 10K. Boat is beautiful for what it is and I really like the motor which probably had less than 20 hours when I got it. Has been a great first boat experience and am not ready yet to make a change. I know that a CC is the right way to go now, just have to wait for the right time to make a switch/upgrade. Thanks
The flat zinc with no tab is usually used on twins (where the counter rotating props cancel out torque) or with hydralic steering where torque is not much of an issue.
If your steering is stiff in both directions then I would suspect a cable issue. Simple to check, if the steering is stiff when the boat is stopped, not running then the problem is the cable or pivot points.
__________________ Stratos 2500 wa
Twin 225 Johnsons
What is that sucking sound?
Hydraulic vs Cable steering - UPDATE 
