Message 16 of 16
Posted by member Paul on Sunday 24 August 2025

Good morning Steve,
Thanks' for your response. Interesting. I've had the off wheel twice but can't remember
the engineering of it. I'll take it off again and have a good at it. May be they used the
same system on all their boats.
I'll post how I get on.
Best regards,
Paul.

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Message 14 of 16
Posted by member Colin on Friday 15 August 2025

Hi Paul, it looks like you have found the problem then!

So is it wear on the plastic guide, or a combination of wear on the hub etc?

Being a tight fisted person myself, If it was only the plastic guide, I would be looking at a way of replicating it so it lasted another 25 years, then it wouldn’t be my problem!

If it’s wear in all components then replacement of the unit is the only solution. At least they don’t appear to be that costly or difficult to replace.

A large outboard like that will accelerate the wear in the steering box components
due to the weight and torque of the power unit, I believe you can get heavier duty steering boxes, some go to hydraulic steering systems but that’s more costly and involved!

Is the transom rated for such a large power unit, I wouldn’t know the answer for that but knowing how robust the Hardy designs are, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was.

I once went to view a Hardy MS 18 that someone had fitted a 75 Hp on in the internal ob well, really I was intreaged to see how it fitted, the transom is rated for 15 hp I believe. It was reinforced with aluminium checker plate and strangely looked okay. My fear is that anything like full chat, the cavitation caused by the prop would sink the boat, and/or rip the transom out.
Not a lot of point in it anyway really, with a displacement hull with a speed rating of 8 knots max, it may just plow the bow beneath the waves like a diving submarine, not really sure but I think it was possibly close to max hull speed just at tickover!
You see some funny things in the boating world, I have seen a few!

ATB. Hope you get sorted, let us know!

Col.

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Message 12 of 16
Posted by member Colin on Thursday 14 August 2025

Hi Paul, I thought it could be that, I believe the splines are alloy and wear over time, this can be quickened if the steering is attached to a large outboard due to the ‘torque steer’.
Google teleflex steering and you will find a lot of suppliers of this type of steering and components.

ATB

Col.

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Message 10 of 16
Posted by member Colin on Saturday 26 July 2025

There appears to be some problem uploading photos to the site, Angie as aware of it and they believed they had resolved it but seemingly not.
Berthing in a marina is a lot more difficult than mooring up to a swinging mooring like we had at Kielder, indeed before that they had the dreaded strings of ‘fore and aft’ moorings which wasn’t kind to the boats mooring ropes and deck fittings during stormy weather, sadly a few boats even sank, thankfully, we only had to suffer those the first year or so before we became ‘swingers!’ (Something doesn’t quite sound right there!)

Again, coming into a finger pontoon arrangement in a marina, there is so much to consider, wind direction and strength, current flow and direction, your own boats characteristics, all of which apart from the latter can change on a daily basis.
Add into that and the fact that a rudder only really works properly when water is passing past it, when approaching a finger pontoon, you don’t want excessive speed, many is the time we witnessed boats riding up the jetty, with anchors on the bow contacting the jetty works and causing damage to the prow etc! Damage to boat and pride and putting the fear into onlookers and other boat owners.

Those with outboards and stern drives have it better imo and those blessed with bow thrusters even better again! (Gods gift to boaters?). I would think you sailing guys would have way more skill at marina mooring.

Our 20 foot cruiser with Enfield stern drive was pretty good apart from the fact when coming gently into the jetty or finger pontoons at idle revs only, the engine was prone to cutting out at the worst moment. (Marinised Ford crossflow 1500 with twin choke Webber carb. At mooring over many months stripped everything, cleaned or renewed as necessary, still persisted!
Only thing I hadn’t done was look at the coil which looked new, so took it off and discovered a small hole in the casing where it had been vibrating against the engine block. Replaced it with new and hey presto, problem not solved but helped greatly. I put the rest down to the water drag over the prop causing the engine to bog/stall unless you were quick on the throttle and neutral.
Lots and lots to consider chaps, and all changes on a daily basis! It’s a continuous learning curve!

Happy boating all

Col.

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Message 8 of 16
Posted by member Peter Clubbe on Monday 21 July 2025

Photo if it works......!

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Message 6 of 16
Posted by member Paul on Wednesday 16 July 2025

Hi. Pete,
Yes I agree, not having a rudder ( I had two on my last boat ) is a different boating experience.
I am struggling with parking up in the marina. Any one watching would think it is my first boat.
I have fitted a Rudder Safe 4 to the out board leg. I think it is helping but I still need a lot of practice.
My main concern is not being able to hold a strait course.
I have been having a fiddle with the out board trim ( another new experience ) and I think it helped some
what.
Best regards.
Paul.

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Message 4 of 16
Posted by member colin on Monday 14 July 2025

Hi Paul,
You probably have far greater experience than we do in boating, Angie and I started in the 80s with a 20 foot motor cruiser with fixed inboard Ford engine allied to an Enfield stern drive unit, then a 19 foot Newbridge Navigator yacht with inboard OB and rudder, then sadly a long hiatus before aquiring our lovely Hardy motor sailer, all very different experiences.

For us, the calm and peace of sailing differed greatly to the experience of motor boating but it too had it's magic moments like getting the boat up on the plane which the cruiser we had was very able to do and that woooow moment when you discover it is never forgotten, both good!

The charter boat in Scotland was the largest boat we ever crewed, very large, very slab sided so caught windage greatly which could influence the boat a lot, especially when awaiting entry to the many locks on the C canal.
On occasions we practiced 'holding position' using the helm and throttle controls and we learnt a lot from it, the 'paddle wheel' affect in slow speed manouvering was especially difficult learning curve and made positioning in Locks interesting, the other boats had OBs so didn't suffer this, also some had bow thrusters which made control so much more easy!
The Hardy boat design is incredibly good (as we all know) but the Pilot House design can catch the wind and influence things too.
We are so lucky to have these experiences in life!
ATB
Col.

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Message 2 of 16
Posted by member colin on Sunday 13 July 2025

Hi Paul, welcome aboard the Hardy experience!

Assuming your steering is of the cable type, you could have wear in the steering box located behind the steering wheel, and /or the splined end of the cable which goes into the box itself.
Thankfully, the cost of replacement is relatively low.

This assuming that the end which attaches to the OB end is positive and good without excessive play/movement.
If your system is hydraulic then the above will not apply and sorry, I don't have any experience of this type of steering type, maybe someone with more knowledge will come along and provide you with better information.

I gather that large outboard engines can have 'torque steer' which can affect steering and even accelerate wear on these components over time.

Boats tend to steer on their mid axis point, (ie, half way along their length) so steering wheel imput can be 'exaggerated' by the pilot by over correcting at the helm, thus resulting in a 'zig zagging' course.

All sorts of factors can influence a boats course such as current flow/direction and windage on the boats superstructure which acts a bit like a sail and can blow the boat off course, then allied with the pilot over correcting can result in zig-zagging.

A few influencing factors to consider, from my experience, like the Lord - boats move in mysterious ways,

Indeed in my earlier boating days, I couldn't understand why I lost all steerage on our charter boat when coming into Locks, also when applying the reverse thrust to counter speed the boat would strongly veer to port - affects of the fixed props rotation and a rudder resulting in a 'paddle wheel' affect moving the boat sideways!
Took me a week on the Caledonian canal to figure this one - by which time it was time to hand the boat back!
Pilots and charter boats with OB engines didn't suffer this affect to anything like the same degree!

I remember chatting to an old retired Lock keeper one day who told me he had seen it all, "All boats are different Laddie, it usually takes a week to learn how to handle each one by the time they are handing it back!" Of course he was right!

Good luck and good choice of Boat!

Cheers,
Col.

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