New Steering question

[bill4169]

This is the start of my 3rd season with the new motor and steering cable. The boat is a 20 overnighter and the motor is a yamaha 150 4 stroke. I had them replace the teleflex cable with the motor, The problem is the boat is getting harder to make port turns. I pulled the cable from the motor and made shure it was all cleaned and greased. my question is when I looked at the way it was installed it looks wrong to me. The cable comes down the side of the boat then it loops up behind the seat and than back down to the motor. It looks like its 12 to 16 inches to long. Could they have put the wrong length cable in?

 

[seasick]

This is the start of my 3rd season with the new motor and steering cable. The boat is a 20 overnighter and the motor is a yamaha 150 4 stroke. I had them replace the teleflex cable with the motor, The problem is the boat is getting harder to make port turns. I pulled the cable from the motor and made shure it was all cleaned and greased. my question is when I looked at the way it was installed it looks wrong to me. The cable comes down the side of the boat then it loops up behind the seat and than back down to the motor. It looks like its 12 to 16 inches to long. Could they have put the wrong length cable in?

Most likely, Its not the cable, it's the trim tab on the cavitation plate. It needs to be adjusted or perhaps replaced. As they wear away, the trim effect changes. They also fall off frequently. An initial adjustment starting point is about 15 degrees clockwise looking from UNDERENEATH the cavitation plate. If you have tick marks on the underside of the plate, set the tab one or two ticks clockwise.
Although you might think that turning the tab to starboard would make turning to port even harder, the opposite is true. The trim tab works by drag and not thrust. A specific setting is optimal at a set speed, so test at your typical cruising speed. A little change can make a big difference.

 

[bill4169]

I have it set 2 notches to the port side (the trailing edge)

 

[seasick]

I have it set 2 notches to the port side (the trailing edge)

It has to go the other way, 1 to 2 notches to starboard looking from the rear. It is not intuitive.
I bet it is really tough to turn to starboard with that setting

 

[bill4169]

No its only hard to port

 

[seasick]

No its only hard to port

yes my mistake. I meant hard to turn to port. Move the tab

 

[bill4169]

Ok I will give it a try. Thanks