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Starflight Handling Question

pony3xp

pony3xp

Active member
Hi Guys,
This year I finished putting my Starflight back together. It has a 200 EFI Mariner with a low water pickup and a bravo 24 4 blade prop. It has the original (I think) dual ram steering. I have it on a manual jackplate with 6" of setback and the nose is mounted about 2.5" below the bottom of the hull.

The issue I am seeing is this. If I have it wide open and I take it back quick, it pulls hard to the left (and I mean hard). The skeg is curved (as they may all be?) and the steering feels lose when I am running wide open but very stiff when idling (it is original and is VERY stiff).

Wondering if I f'd something up when I put it back together or of this is just normal when dealing with old steering.

Seeing about 54 but I have not run on empty with just myself yet. The thing absolutly flys out of the hole. I have never been on a boat that grabs and takes off so quick.

Thanks!
 
keith4216 said:
Skeg is curved? Curved up the backside or left to right looking at the prop?
Click to expand...

Hi Keith, If I understand the question, the entire backside is curved (i'm told to offset the prop). I didn't know if this was standard or only on the low water pickup which is custom (pickup is black, mariner is grey).
 
If I chop the throttle from high speed mine will dart left but chopping throttle from high speed is never recommended.
 
I think this is a handling trait of the stepped Starflite hull, because mine does the same thing. When my dad owned a Starflite new in 1988, he said it his did the same thing. I think whats happening is when you pull the throttle back, the propeller is actually spinning slower than the boat is travelling, causing the stern to 'step out' a little bit due to the right-hand rotation of the prop. Be carefull when pulling the throttle back on these hulls, because when the step is aerating the bottom the hull, it doesn't have the same directional stability as when you are going slow.

By the way, I had to replace my steering this spring because my old cables were way too stiff for my liking. They were kinda stiff when I winterized the boat (but liveable), however this spring, I could barely turn the wheel. Your boat is probably equipped with Quicksilver dual Ride-Guide steering with dual straight racks. It is a great system but replacement cables are no longer available, and I had no luck finding new-old-stock replacement cables. I ended up installing a Teleflex No-Feeback dual cable system and it is SO much better to drive now.
 
Thanks

Thanks guys for the feedback and thanks Fox for the cable information! I am planning on changing it next year to make it easier for the wife to drive.
 
Under $1000 out the door. I think I was around $900 for mine. You're looking at a few hundred for a cable system and most guys will tell you stay away from the rotary type system for a high performance boat and I don't think there's a dual rack system available anymore. I have a used dual rack from my Starliner that I think is a Ride Guide. PM me if you're interested.
 
Teleflex does make a dual cable straight rack system ----http://www.seastarsolutions.com/products/mechanical-steering/nfb-rack-steering/

I just put this on my Starflite and love it. The photo only shows the single cable system, but they offer a dual cable straight rack system as well.

For less than 1/2 the price of hydraulic, and it is super smooth and easy to steer. The cables are permanently sealed and don't require lubrication (you simply cannot grease them, the system is sealed, including the helm). Remember you will need a new steering wheel as well because all the helms (hydraulic or manual) made today use the standard 3/4" taper with woodruff key.

ATC is right, don't use a rotary system in a hi-perf boat. Hydraulic is very, very nice but I saved a years worth of gas $ by going with a cable system. Not to mention it was super easy to install and you'll never spill hydraulic fluid in the boat. With a dual cable system you also have redundancy (ie, two cables). If one is damaged or broken, you can still make it home. If you get as much as a pinhole in a hydraulic system line, you are being towed home.

Just my 2 cents but I do not regret going with the Teleflex dual cable system.
 
fox88gt said:
because when the step is aerating the bottom the hull, it doesn't have the same directional stability as when you are going slow.
Click to expand...

I have experienced this myself. I was trimmed up and running at 6000 rpm.
Turned the wheel and no response until I lowered the trim to get some keel in the water to guide the direction of travel.
 
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