Steering cable real tight with new hydro jackplate

[Boostedsrt4]

Ok Aquasport junkies I need some advice.

I recently purchased a very clean 96 Ospry 175. I had a hydro jack plate from my previous flats boat that I sold a few years back. So I measured cable clearance before installing and knew it would be close. The cable isn't binding but rests on the top of the transom and rubs slightly when the jack plate is raised/ lowered. I checked with a local marina and they suggested a through transom fitting for the steering and rigging cables. Who here has done this and what's the groups thoughts. I am personally concerned with putting additional holes of that size into the transom.

Jack plate is a hydro jacker 10" offset with the original Johnson 88 spl.

[fitz73222]

I wouldn't want to put a hole that size in a transom to clear that nut either. ANY type of rubbing, binding or sharp bend radius of a mechanical steering cable is going to lead to a failure of the cable. I had one do this with a jack plate and it let go without any warning, this was a 3 year old cable, I had been running creeks all day, steering smooth as silk, came home, pushed on the motor to straighten it out to put the flush on and it snapped in the driveway! That was the last mechanical cable steering system I had in a boat, that was 15 years ago.

I know the added expense of changing over to hydraulic steering can be painful but winding up in the woods when a cable breaks really doesn't compare. The hoses are designed to allow for flexing as you raise and lower your jackplate, and you can't compare the smoothness, responsiveness and no wheel torque that hydraulic steering offers. That's my $.02.

[RickK]

Ditto on Fitz's advise.  I'm re-installing the hydraulic steering on my 170 when I get that far along.

[Boostedsrt4]

I will have to look in to that. Any brand you would suggest? Btw....awesome rebuild on the 170 Rick....I read the whole thread yesterday.

[fitz73222]

Seastar, from Teleflex is the most widely known brand with good parts support and technical publications. I have Seastar systems on the both my boats. Go to the Teleflex website for all the information you need. You can buy the systems on Amazon.

[Capt. Bob]

Make it a threesome.

My Seastar is original OEM factory installed on my 1991 WAC. I have rebuilt the helm to stop leaking (very easy, cheap and instructions are found in the Resource forum). Rebuilt the cylinder on the motor (again easy, low cost and info on this site). Point is, a new system will last a very long time before you need to do the above but when that time comes, the maintenance is very easy and affordable. Hydraulic steering, IMHO is by far the best single improvement you can make on your boat.

Good luck.

[RickK]

Ditto on the Seastar - I got mine used maybe 10 years ago for the 170 and during this rebuild I used some rainy days to rebuild both helm and engine side.
Some people like the Baystar but I have no experience with that model.  I also have Seastar on my 230 EX - it needs a fill and bleed though.

[RickK]

Btw....awesome rebuild on the 170 Rick....I read the whole thread yesterday.

Thanks for the kind comments - so you read the entire thread in one day - you must not be able to see today

[BMAC1988]

Did you ever get the jack plate and hydraulic steering setup? Got any pics?

I'm working on getting my repower motor (zuki df140) ready and have a cmc jack-plate to go on at the same time. I'm planning to get a baystar steering kit as the cylinder is smaller which should help clear the transom better.