So it’s like seastar and uflex (?) are the basically only options, and one has to pay $1300 and up for an old Skeeter with a efi200.
but my cables are getting tight again and it would be nice to have hydraulic steering, so I did a deep dive and have found there are now a few generic companies selling kits for half the price.
has anyone used or know anything about them?
thanks in advance for your thoughts,
cheers
Any rebuilt kits?
I wouldn’t trust someone’s life or my own with them….
Why do you say that? Have you got some personal experience with them, or are you just passing an opinion based on nothing?Originally Posted by paulrodbender
Is there a place to get rebuilt "name brand" systems that you know of? That would be an option if available...
Nine that I know of. I’m asking.
I may switch to hydraulic.
My cables are tight.
Shit from china, no support, some people will sell anything for a buck and care less about safety.
2023 SCB 20EF
2023 SCB CC 210LR
I'm all ears. I think we're at a similar place of wanting hydraulic steering. If youve got any info on rebuilt kits I'd love to hear about them. My boats down for a month as my quagga quarentine just started, so I'm trying to get a few things done in the meantime. You can message me if you prefer..
thanks
The reason I said "I"...... I feel like certain places you can save a dollar, safety is not one of them places.
How do you mix “safety” into the discussion? Are you saying that they’ve been proven to be unsafe? Or is it that you just feel they’ll fail because they’re cheap Chinese junk in your opinion?
im just trying to get a grasp on where you’re coming from. And I have no problem if it’s just your opinion, I’m down. But if there is data anywhere that actually suggest there is a real safety problem, then that weighs significantly more
Scott S puts it best, cheap junk. You just got to like the "Short Answer". Setting that aside, steering in the one piece of equipment you want a proven history of performance, reliability, accountability, physical location in the US too. So a importer in the US must "stand in the shoes" of the manufacturer. A close personal friend of mine is a retired attorney from the maritime industry. I have learned over the years through the cases he had when it comes to an imported product the importer assumes all liability. If said importer is a corporation or better an LLC of your imported cheap alternative steering US laws will make it very hard to breach the LLC to sue in the event of a failure. The previous paragraph applies to recovery after the failure only.
Paul is saying He would not consider it to start with due to the knowledge, understanding, and experience he has knowing how bad a steering failure at even lower planning speeds is a serious risk to you, your occupants in the boat with you, other people on the water, and your equipment. I personally stand firmly behind Paul's opinion. I quit manufacturing "Redfishing Towers" due to safety concerns and product liability. I ask my insurance agent to write me a letter including the towers in my product liability coverage and he said he could not.
Here in my shop if it is not Seastar Solutions hydraulic steering I will not install it, period, for liability reasons. Seastar Solutions now owned by Dometic has the horsepower to back their product as well as improve it. Also it is the number one installed OEM hydraulic steering in the US and most likely the world for pleasure craft. I will not even install their replacement seals out of another division of the same company "Sierra" due to the nature and quality of the imported parts they sell. In All my project boats I only use Seastar Solutions.
Hindsight is always 20/20, if you have a failure with an alternative hydraulic steering product the $200 you saved on the purchase could cost you 200 times that in recovery (if you survive). Nothing says it will fail, but no history in service says it is likely not to also if that makes sense.
BTW, Amazon has it for $1028.25 you still need hoses.
https://pitstopmarine.com/
This is the board sponsor I bought my steering from. Great customer service.
I looked at the cheap steering kits before I bought mine and I couldn't even find a real company name or find the company on line so that made up my mind. As far as safety goes in my opinion, yes, steering is a safety item.... I've seen quite a few hydraulic systems fail without any warning. I know it's expensive and I didn't think my boat was worth it but I'm glad I did it and should have done it sooner, a lot sooner. The way I look it to make it easier, I spent $1,000 on my system, If for some I junk the boat, I could take the system off and sell it for $500 if I had to.
Please do what you're comfortable with as I can only speak for myself.
My part of this thread is-
I spoke with another bbc member about switching
to hydralic.
He said he bought a reman “kit” from a guy in Florida,
whom I think has passed away.
Iam assuming this was a mom an pop shop, that I would
buy from if I could.
Since I’ll be buying new, ill buy from a board sponsor
vs Amazon.
Thanks
I buy from the National warehouses, distributors, for my shop needs. The amazon reference was only to show costs. Respect to all Sponsors, without them this Forum could not exist.
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