Thread subject: Whaler Central - Boston Whaler Boat Information and Photos :: Hydraulic Steering

Posted by Tom W Clark on 01/22/14 - 11:37 AM
#7

I am very familiar with the Teleflex line so allow me to make a few comments:

Both BayStar and SeaStar components can be used with this boat and motor combination. You can even use a SeaStar helm with a BayStar cylinder, though not the other way around.

Any hydraulic steering system for a single outboard is going to include three basic components:

- Helm
- Cylinder
- 2 Hoses

There are several option for each so choose carefully. The rate of steering (how many turns of the steering wheel from lock-to-lock) is determined by the volume of the helm vs. the volume of the cylinder.

The terms "SeaStar I" and "SeaStar II" are obsolete and refer to the old days when Teleflex offered only two helm pumps of 1.7 cubic inch and 2.4 cubic inch volume respectively. The former was intended for single or dual engine, single cylinder applications while the latter was intended for dual engine, dual cylinder applications.

Today you can buy a SeaStar helm in 1.4, 1.7, 2.0 or 2.4 cubic inch capacities. You also have the options of buying surface mount, or back mount helms, as well as tilting helms. In addition to all this there are the SeaStar Pro helms intended for some high performance applications.