Lake Champlain United - Forums

Having some steering issues on my boat, so I think it's time to make the switch to hydraulic maybe? Any thoughts and suggestions? A DIY job or professional install? Thoughts on costs? Boat is starcraft 19 1/2' superfisherman, currently it's a 125 2 stroke merc, if/when I repower it wouldn't be any more than a 150 if that matters, but hopefully the exiting one will keep going for me for a while.

Replaced cable with hydraulic on my 17' Princecraft a few years back and never regret it. I installed a SeaStar kit with tilt steering. You can do it yourself if you are a bit mechanically inclined, AND if you can have access to route the hoses. Hydraulic gives a much smoother steering, Parts should be about 1 K, and you can easily add an autopilot later is you want.
Don't buy cheap stuff, you want something you can trust and that will last a long time. Good steering, good hoses, good oil. You can easily do the update in a weekend.

I replaced the cable steering on my 1985 sea nymph 195 fish-n-ski with a BayStar system about 7 years ago. This is the smaller version of the SeaStar system, which was appropriate for my 115 Merc. It was an easy DIY project (one day, alone) and made a huge difference to the enjoyment of my boat. I recommend it highly.

Mike,

I did a couple year upgrade to Surprise and cannot imagine a boat again without it. I did the Baystar model first from Hodges Marine in Florida for my 90 HP E-Tek.

https://www.hodgesmarine.com/telhk4200a ... g-kit.html

Removed the helm cable and cut it off with a Saws All then taped the hydraulic hoses to the cable and snaked them to the transom...easy feed.

Next year purchase upgrade to Lowrance HD9 touch with data feed from motor and to Autopilot. Got the Lowrance on a open box special from Cabelas.

The Autopilot I purchased was a RayMarine EV-100 . I love the convenience of Otto driving the boat, follow routes and trails as well as drive to waypoints. Fishing patterns are a big plus as when Ron Winter and I were on the back of the boat for 3 plus hours at Fishville running a CloverLeaf over and over.

I helped Carl Petri rig his new Boat with a Lowrance Autopilot and 9 inch Lowrance screen purchased at Hodges and it is one sweet outfit.
The Lowrance is true Plug and play

https://www.hodgesmarine.com/low000-117 ... -pack.html



You will say " Why did I wait so long?"

Randy

RE:
"Next year purchase upgrade to Lowrance HD9 touch with data feed from motor and to Autopilot. Got the Lowrance on a open box special from Cabelas.
The Autopilot I purchased was a RayMarine EV-100 . I love the convenience of Otto driving the boat, follow routes and trails as well as drive to waypoints. Fishing patterns are a big plus as when Ron Winter and I were on the back of the boat for 3 plus hours at Fishville running a CloverLeaf over and over. "

Suprise ,

I have a Seastar system on my Starcraft Superfisherman 196 along with a Raymarine EV 150 and Lowrance HDS Carbon 9. All three systems work great, independently , but I cannot integrate the Raymarine auto pilot with the Lowrance MFD to use the " navigation" function with the A/P. I had connected the two with Raymarine's adapter cable ( raynet to Nema2000) but no go . Raymarine's tech man said their A/P only integrates with their MFD s.

Did you do the install ? If not who did you use ?

Thanks, Jack Moynihan

Jack,

After you have selected the trail, route or waypoint Go to the Raymarine Autopilot control head and push menu then scroll down to Route or Trail then push "Auto"to engage ? They should talk then.

Just like the Starship Enterprise

Let me know if that works.

I did my own install.

Thanks to all for the info

Mike, let us know if you still have issue connecting your EV-150 with your Lowrance HDS.

I've got hydraulic steering on one boat, and cable steering on the other one. There's lots to say in all directions about pros and cons, but, if I were you, I'd do a new cable for your steering, and an electric Garmin trolling motor for the bow.

Probably same money as autopilot and hydraulic steering, but, that Garmin motor is unreal. We've got one on strike three. GPS anchor, gesture steering and heading lock, create courses, follow track, offset course selectable number of feet you want, etc, etc, etc. If they made one with a long enough shaft for the country angler, I'd be putting one on it. I actually looked into the exact route these guys are saying, hydraulic steering, autopilot, but using my Garmin has made me just wait a couple years to see if Garmin is going to come out with an extra long shaft model instead. I'd bet you've even got better control in a stiff wind than autopilot, since your steering thrust comes from the bow, and main thrust from your kicker in the rear.

When it was cold out the country angler was next to impossible to steer with the old cable. New cable feels like power steering. Trick is, do NOT lubricate the cable. Only steering shaft.

Jack's 2¢ for you.