Hydraulic steering excessive turns

[delmarrey]

As an example mine was 4-1/4 turns lock to lock at a 30° angle each side, with a 5' x 2' rudder. It worked out really well. If your pump is not adjust and uses a chain drive, you can change the gears to get down to the right ratio.

Too many turns will make it hard to control in rough weather. And anymore then 4 turns a wheel pilot will not usually work. You would have to goto an inline auto pilot.

The nice thing is hydraulic steering is easy to turn and there's no backlash if the air is all bleed out.

[delmarrey]

Another thing. If you were to modify your rudders so they were more balanced then you wouldn't need such large cylinders. Without actually seeing the design I think it could be done by adding a forward section to your rudder so there is not so much force to the rear section (behind the pivot point). But then the pintails may need a different design.

[schaf]

Originally Posted by Pugcat

Hi, could those of you with hydraulic steering please advise how many turns of the wheel you have lock to lock?
I am converting my Prout Snowgoose 35 to Vetus hydraulic steering and having given the supplier the rudder dimensions (same as a standard Snowgoose 37 I believe) they have done the calculations and come back with a system that gives 8 turns lock to lock - seems a bit excessive.
I questioned it and they said that due to the rudder size and being transom hung (i.e. no balancing portion of the rudder) the potential forces in a following sea could be very high so have specified their largest cylinder, the MTC17510. They said this is often used for commercial workboats so seems a tad excessive for a 35 ft sailing catamaran but they rechecked the calculations and stood by it. What do you guys and girls think?
Thanks

I have hydrolic steering on a 30 foot boat. I have one and a half turns from port or starboard from midships on my cutter.

[nickdwyer]

I have the same problem.


A two whell station set up each with MTP5310R
My Cylinder is a MTC17510


The system is about 20 years old and has functioned well for me. it requies about 6.5 turns , but i have lived with it.



One pump has now died and needs to be replaced. Vetus ceased making them in 2002. The distributor has sugested that I replace the pump with an MTP4210R (their biggest) this will mean I have 8.50 turns Ho to Ho. This is completly unworkable for me. Iwant to have 3 or four turns only. at worst i'd go back to 6.5 turns.


I would be interested in hearing of any solutions.

[undercutter]

Originally Posted by nickdwyer

I have the same problem.


A two whell station set up each with MTP5310R
My Cylinder is a MTC17510


The system is about 20 years old and has functioned well for me. it requies about 6.5 turns , but i have lived with it.



One pump has now died and needs to be replaced. Vetus ceased making them in 2002. The distributor has sugested that I replace the pump with an MTP4210R (their biggest) this will mean I have 8.50 turns Ho to Ho. This is completly unworkable for me. Iwant to have 3 or four turns only. at worst i'd go back to 6.5 turns.


I would be interested in hearing of any solutions.

Why don't you call Paul Wagner.


I have a Wagner system with 2 x N50-190 cylinders that combined have almost twice the volume of your ram and I have 6 turns HO to HO. I realize he sold that company years ago but I understand that he is back in business under a different name. If you can't find him let me know and I will dig up the info for you.

[nickdwyer]

Thanks Undercutter I have sent them an email