SAFETY while boating

[snagged in outlet 3]

7 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Everytime I put on that goofy helmet....this kinda stuff happens 

This is why my wife wanted me to get rid of my last 3 wheeler.  She would say; "Why can't you just ride it like a normal person?"  I laughed while she swabbed the road rash on my back with ointment.    I just couldn't help myself.

[Basfis]

Is this “the” bolt? 

How do you pin/retain a lock nut?

[tracman86]

Yes that is the bolt. After going thru what I have, what I would do is get a longer bolt. Drill into it almost at the end put the locknut on it and then run a cotter pin thru it.

[fishinwrench]

What I would do, is ditch the hydraulic system and go back to the good old dependable dual cable rack system.

[SplitG2]

Thanks for the original post Jared.  No doubt it’s reached a lot of people and will make a difference to someone someday.  Glad you are ok.  

[SplitG2]

Wrench - this is mine.  Took the pic to learn more about it and find out if it’s still in good shape.  Does anything stand out to you?....good or bad? Thanks

[fishinwrench]

4 minutes ago, SplitG2 said:

Wrench - this is mine.  Took the pic to learn more about it and find out if it’s still in good shape.  Does anything stand out to you?....good or bad? Thanks

Looks fine from here.

[Basfis]

1 hour ago, tracman86 said:

Yes that is the bolt. After going thru what I have, what I would do is get a longer bolt. Drill into it almost at the end put the locknut on it and then run a cotter pin thru it.

Thanks for the post and sharing. Looks like the connection point is the same without regard to the steering type  

I hate that the accident happened to you and genuinely appreciate you putting the info on here as to how it happened. 

[GNSfishing]

There’s pros and cons with either system. Both require preventive maintenance. I’ve had both systems and for my use the hydraulic system is the best.

[fishinwrench]

3 hours ago, GNSfishing said:

There’s pros and cons with either system. Both require preventive maintenance. I’ve had both systems and for my use the hydraulic system is the best.

As I posted earlier, the benefit of cable steering is twofold.  #1. You are in direct contact with the steering arm, so any slop or binding is obvious, and you're more likely to know when there is a problem in the steering system. And you'll know it before the boat ever leaves the trailer.    #2. Cables only last 5-7 years before they begin to get so stiff that they have to be replaced, so you are forced to service the steering system before catastrophic failure like "total loss of control" happens.  

I've seen stuff like batteries shifting and kinking a hydraulic steering hose, then when the steering wheel was turned the hose ruptured.  Motor can now flop around freely with no control.

I've also replaced a system after a guys kid got in his boat while on the trailer and cranked the wheel while the motor was secured by the transom saver.  It cleanly broke the flat cylinder mount.  What if it had only cracked, and the kid never said anything???   Or how about the guy at Truman on a windy day whose boat drifted back into a tree, motor hits tree but hydraulic steering kept the motor from turning sideways... Something had to give, and it was the hydraulic cylinder bracket.    If it had been Cable steering the motor would have been shoved sideways against the stops and nothing would have broken.

Sure it's great to be able to steer the motor with your pinky finger, but don't ignore the fact that the reason that is possible is because of the assisted torque of the hydraulics.  I can lift my truck off the ground with one finger too if using a hydraulic jack.  You don't think the same type of force can break a 3/8" bolt or a 3/16" plate of steel?  I'm here to tell ya YES IT CAN.  

You can hold the motor from turning with a cable system and you can't crank hard enough on the steering wheel to break anything.  The connection between your hands and that motor is way more reliable and durable with cables.