Steering issue...not a fin question.

[Tranio]

While towing a tube today I realized when I cut to the right to pick up a down rider, I couldn't cut quite as hard as I could to the left. I have also noticed some sticking when I turn all the way right. Sure enough I jumped in and asked someone to turn the wheel and the nozzles do not turn as much to the right as they do to the left. I didn't notice anything in the way. Any ideas before I haul it back to the dealer?

Thanks

 

[Julian]

How much difference is there? I've not studied the steering mechanism on these boats, but it makes me wonder if there isn't some sort of centerline adjustment inside the dash....(off to look at the schematics)

 

[itsdgm]

Check for loose cables at the helm. I haven't noticed any difference in nozzle angles.

I have noticed that the boat is harder to turn right then left while under hard acceleration. But this is due to having twin engines rotating in the same direction. I counter this by throttling the outboard engine higher and dropping thrust on the inboard engine while making a hard turn. Not sure if that's the issue you're having though.

 

[txav8r]

Center the steering wheel and check the nozzles. If they are off, there is your issue. You have limited travel from about 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock. They nozzles should be centered at 12 o'clock. You can lay a straight edge across them to see if they are square. Not exactly the book definition of adjusting them, but it does work to identify alignment issues and when they are centered. This is just to see how much "wheel" you have left and right of center, since you mention you have more to the left.

However, you have two impellers, both turning the same direction, on either side of your keel beam. Stands to reason that your ability to turn would be better one direction than another, and I have read the following description of reasoning, written by Harry at Group K...it helps to understand the forces. Yamaha attempts to control much of the differences with different pitched impellers, and that does balance the thrust, but as for turning, you still have to counter the rotation of thrust. In a prop airplane, we have a number of forces acting on the airplane at any given time. In addition to gravity, the creation of lift also causes increased drag, and then there is slip stream, p-factor, and gyroscopic effect. We have a good many similar factors, although they are not aerodynamic, they are hydrodynamic forces. But we have forces similar to slip stream, gyroscopic effect, and p-factor, as well as drag. Without counter rotating engines, it will turn easier one way than the other, not to mention faster. And I think that is the nature of the beast.

 

[Tranio]

Interesting I'm going to check it Agian tomorrow to see if the Nozzels do turn left more or not. Maybe from my angle in the water with them it just looked that way. I was using the more throttle method to help offset. But if you all seem to have the same effect turning right then maybe it just looked that way.