Slippery Helm Deck

Roarque

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New to us Gulfstream - 2006 in good condition and we're having fun. Renamed it Why Wait. One issue, I noticed the deck beneath my feet was slippery after a rough crossing that the hull handled well but we did have a few bumps. It had a small amount of oil on it that appears to have come from the hydraulic steering mechanism. I unscrewed the filler/vent and the system was full to the top. I screwed the cap back on and scratched my head - perhaps the hydraulic system was over filled and some dripped out after the bumpy ride. Or maybe something else - any ideas??

Greg
 
Sounds like it is overfilled and the vented cap is doing its job. It is not supposed to be filled to the top.

My boat still loses some through the cap when it is in the 90's, even if I leave the back drop curtain open and even though I think the reservoir is under-filled. I had all the seals replaced last year at the stern and the helm and decided to replace the cap while I was at it. Interestingly the cap was defective and didn't vent. I came to the boat the first hot day of the season and found the cap top in my cockpit and fluid all the way up to the hardtop. That gives you a little idea how much a hot helm area comes into play.
 
Larry, I am not sure how a new cap could fix the problem. If it is vented and the helm area gets hot enough the fluid will expand and find its way out the vent. If the cap isn't vented, as was the case with my defective replacement, then either the cap will blow or the fluid will find its way out at the helm seals or the stern seals. Have you checked to see if you are leaking on the tube at the stern?