How Boat Steering Works
Simply put the boat’s steering wheel is part of the helm that connects to a mechanical, electric, or hydraulic system to assist in steering your boat.
Regardless of the steering system used on a boat, it is a good idea to learn what kind of system is fitted to the boat, get to understand how it works, learn the location of the system components, so should something go wrong whilst out on the water you will at least stand a chance of being able to make simple repairs while underway.
All mechanical steering systems consist of the wheel, a helm unit, a steering cable, and cable connections, which link the wheel to the engine.
The most important component is the helm unit, which converts a wheel’s rotary motion into a push-pull motion on the cable, which results in moving the propeller to left or right.
These days the majority of boats are fitted with rotary style helm which utilise reduction gears which enables these units to be much more compact than the old rack & pinion type (although there are still plenty of those still in service).
What is meant by reduction gear? Reduction gears are in simple terms one or two toothed gears that mesh with the circular steering drum which is encased within the unit which when rotated cause the the steering cable to move in or out (push_pull).
What is meant by planetary gears? These are units fitted with three or more gear wheels which all mesh with a drum to move the cable. This design makes for smoother action in each direction and benefits from many more contact points than reduction gear helms and so are stronger and more resistant to wear.
Rack and pinion gearing: Once very popular rack & pinion is rarely used in new boats these days but some system components are still available but not all. Rack systems employ a gear fitted directly onto the steering shaft and engages a rack gear in a tube-like housing, greatly. The primary difference between a rack, pinion and a rotary helm is how the equipment fits behind the mounting surface.
What Is This No Feedback Steering?Anti Feedback, or No Feedback, helm is relatively new technology and was developed to help eliminate the engine torque feedback at the helm.
On single engined craft conventional steering systems always suffer from "torque steer" this phenomenon is caused the directional rotation of the propeller continually pushes the boat to the right, requiring the helmsman to compensate by applying extra wheel pressure to the left. And the amount of effort required is proportional to the speed of the boat (the faster you go the harder it gets).
The systems fitted with a no feedback helm unit eliminate most, if not all, of the engine’s torque by means of a built-in clutch which helps keep the boat on course without requiring constant correction by the helmsman. Which makes for more responsive, smoother and much more relaxed cruising!
What do we mean by Helm Fatigue
The significant torque generated by engines creates a constant load on the steering system that must be continually counter-acted by the helmsman, even when the boat is headed in a straight line. Should the helmsman become tired, incapacitated, or should they release the wheel for any reason while the boat is underway, the abrupt change of direction caused creates a very dangerous situation. No Feedback systems, described above, are designed to reduce helm fatigue and as a consequence make boating much safer.
Why Is The Wheel On The Right?
Ever wonder why helm stations are on the right (starboard) side of a boat? The reason has everything to do with hydrodynamics, weight distribution, and engine torque. Propellers on boats with single screw engines turn in a clockwise (left) direction, which inherently push the vessel to the right (starboard) side. To counteract this to-the-right motion (called propeller walk), boat designers positioned the helm station on the right and at roughly an amidships location so that operator and helm equipment weight would make the starboard side heavier, offsetting the movement to the right to a degree.
Steering Cable System Maintenance
It is important that you keep your steering system and cable in good working order. The following tips will help to keep your steering cable working smoothly and prevent seizure or corrosion.
You should regularly inspect the steering cable and all connections. Clean and lubricate grease cable fittings and supports at least once a year and always use a marine-grade, lithium-based grease.
If you are planning to store a boat for any length of time then you should disconnect the to engine connection and thoroughly clean and lubricate the output shaft.
Choosing The Right Steering For You
Janet Watkins,
Store Owner
How Do I Choose The Right Steering System For My Boat?We understand that choosing the appropriate system for your application can be very confusing due to the variety of steering systems on the market.
In a nutshell there are 3 basic types of mechanical steering systems to choose from that cover most of the styles of recreational powerboats and are as follows:-
Standard, No Feed Back, Zero Torque
Selecting among these options is dependent upon the speed and handling characteristics of your particular boat.
If your boat is an outboard, or if it has a sterndrive either fitted with power steering or generally operates at speeds below 10 knots then the competitively priced Standard Rotary System may well fit the bill for you, however there is a trade off in terms of driver effort and increased wear and tear on the steering components.
Standard Systems these are the most competitively priced system and consists of a planetary gear design which has only one contact point between two drive gears.
The single contact point of these conventional systems is subjected to all the torque loads from the engine, which not only makes for substantially increased effort on the drivers part but can eventually lead to uneven gear wear and correspondent lost motion in the steering.
If your boat is an outboard or if it has a sterndrive without power steering, you need to consider steering systems that reduce the rudder torque feedback that you feel while driving your boat.
Feedback is the constant effort you have to put on the steering wheel just to go straight, and it is why it takes more effort to steer one direction than the other.
The amount of feedback depends on the boat, the propeller and the steering system in the boat. Generally speaking, the faster you are going the more effort you have to put on the steering wheel to keep the boat going straight and this is both frustrating and tiring for the driver.
No Feedback Systems are recommended for use on outboard powered boats, inboards & stern-drives without power assist, or any other applications with moderate torque loads, these systems are fitted with a clutch, or multiple gears, which automatically lock out the steering torque while the system is not actively being turned making for virtually effortless input from the driver in order to maintain a straight course at any given speed.
Zero Torque Systems feature not only all the benefits of the no feedback system (see above) but are also fitted with a special spring clutch which does not require a constant effort on the steering wheel to keep the boat going straight or in the intended direction and will hold the steering system on its intended course until the next change in the direction is initiated by the driver.
If you are in any doubt as to which system is right for you please give us a call and we will happily advise you on your options.
