Steering Installation Question

[Islandlure]

I have just build an aluminum center console for my 16' jon boat. The motor was set up with a make shift tiller handle and a side mount throttle control. I am going to purchase a teleflex steering system and mount the throttle contol to the side of the console. My question is on cable routing. I have done alot of reseach (looking at picture via google of other setups) on cable routing for steering and throttle cables but I want to be sure that I get the right length. From the pictures I have seen it looks as if the cables are ran from the bottom of the console to the side of the boat the up the side and down the gunnel to the back. I am wondering just how tight you can turn these cables because it looks like some of these setups are pretty tight. So if anyone has any experience with this I would appreciate some guidance, I just want to make the right decision with the least amount of headaches. Thanks for the help!

16' flat bottom jon boat
1989 30hp Yamaha

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Steering Installation Question

you want as gentle curve as possible, the sharper the curve the more everything binds.

 

[sdunt]

Re: Steering Installation Question

I have an older Ride Guide steering system with a thick cable. Probably 3/4 inch diameter. I can not get that to bend tighter than about a 12 inch radius.

What options do you have for running the cable under the floor? You might find that you can use gentler curves that way..

also, the diagram in the manual is not the ONLY way you can route the cable. My steering rack is 'upside down' and the cable runs around the left - port side of the boat and it works just fine..

 

[marineman16]

Re: Steering Installation Question

I put a Teleflex rack and pinion system on my old boat. To give you an idea, the tightest circle you can wrap it in would be around 16 inches in diameter. You need to have a fair amount of space at the bend points...

 

[Islandlure]

Re: Steering Installation Question

Thanks to all who replied, that gives me a pretty good idea of how I should be thinking of routing. I dont have the option of going under the floor because there is no floor. I wanted to save the weight because my first dry run in the boat produced 32 MPH on my GPS and I have since ditched some weight, welded up some flotation pods, reinforced the transom and built a jack plate with a 3" setback to get the motor up higher to set my calv. plate just above the bottom (the guy I bought the boat from had it 3" below the bottom and the boat still ran 32 MPH). So I am in the final stages of my build, trying to get all this steering, throttle control and electrical and sorted out. I need to be on the flats not in my garage!!!