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  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Dunlap, TN
    Posts
    409

    Rigging hydraulic steering hoses to the hydraulic cylinder

    I am putting a different motor on my bass boat. The new Merc Optimax will have a rigging hose between the boat and motor cowling. My question is what are different methods to route the hydraulic steering hoses outside of the rigging hose?
    It is an ugly thought to have to put a second hole in the splashwell (older 1998 Hawk Bass boat). I don't want to do anything that doesn't look as though it came from the factory that way. I don't want to just chop holes in the boat to make it work. Is there such a thing as a "Y" fitting that can route all of the wires to the motor and also route the two hydraulic lines outside the hose to the motor?

  2. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Spring Hope,NC
    Posts
    7,252
    #2
    You need a thing called a bulkhead fitting,or rather two of them. It's a fitting with a male thread on each end that goes through the splash well. The hoses connect to it inside and outside of the well. You will only need to drill two small holes the the glass to use them. Google them,you will see what I'm talking about.

  3. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Dunlap, TN
    Posts
    409
    #3
    Rip Bass, your idea is an excellent one. Would look professional. Investigating what thread fitting would be used on the Sea Star website, I found that they sell hydraulic hoses with a bulkhead fitting already installed on the hose, eliminating a joint in the hose. I had not seen these before. They are dressy chrome plates. I will have to look into that when the weather turns better, as it is zero degrees outside now. Thanks for your input. You put me on the right track.