Center steering

[hydroguy]

I'm out today looking over the steering in my boat seeing what I am going to need to change my Sanger to outboard steering. I'm only about 26in. between the stringers and was wondering if instead of an offset steering I shouldn't get a center assembly. I might want to change over to one seat in the center instead of two seats. I haven't decided if I want to go to all the trouble to plug up the holes in my dash, re-gel them to match and then drill all new ones. Can a center steering assembly work with some high quality u joints like Borgenson? It doesn't look like it is going to be that far from the left side anyway. :confused:

[RiverRacer]

Well, ole Wags is the resident hydro guy here, he ought to be able set you straight!..

[wagspe208]

Well, ole Wags is the resident hydro guy here, he ought to be able set you straight!..

Whoa...when did that happen. I am just a hydro hack.
Interestingly enough, I have an entire clamshell, quadrant, rudder assembly I will sell. I guess this belongs in the classified section. I am sorry Don. I am an insider, I swear. LOL
OK...what will it take..do you have a cable in the boat now? I am not an inboard steering guy, so forgive me. If just a cable setup, you will need a steering box. Shroeder, or Casale make one. You will need a rod from the steering box to the rudder clamshell. You will need an exit thingy for the steering rod.
R. Braaksma says you do not need to change shaft angle or prop location. I have never converted one, so I will not confirm or deny that. I will say that Ron knows his stuff and he has been very helpful to me in the past.
So..is this going to be a drag piece? Why convert to center steering?
Wags

[hydroguy]

Yes, this is my drag boat, a 74 Sanger Hydro with inboard now. I was going to use the schroeder but I can get it with an offset or center. I have been mulling this over for quite some time and have the list of needed items. I guess in retrospect there is no great need to convert to the center steering I just don't see a need for the other seat. that being said there would be no great difference between the offset and center because of the short span between the stringers. It would be a minimal offset and if I could get away with a center steer unit It would be easier to get. I haven't made an exact measurement yet so I don't know the exact difference between the two but it can't be much. Why don't you send me a pic of what you have.

[RiverRacer]

Whoa...when did that happen.

When you signed up I guess, I don't know!..:D:D

[wagspe208]

I wouldn't stress over it much. Yes, a center box will be easier to fin used. If it is offset to the port side (left as viewed from the back) you are on the correct side to offset engine torque. If you are on the starboard side...you are on the wrong side to begin with.
That is the only reason I might change if on the right side.
PM me with an e-mail address and I will snap a picture or two tonight.
Wags

[TonkaDriver]

PM me with an e-mail address and I will snap a picture or two tonight.
Wags

Must be a Hydro thing that us flatbottom guys can't see pics of or wags would just put them up here. C'mon Wags, no passing notes in class, you have to share with the rest of the class....lol

[wagspe208]

Must be a Hydro thing that us flatbottom guys can't see pics of or wags would just put them up here. C'mon Wags, no passing notes in class, you have to share with the rest of the class....lol

ROFL..
The truth is equally funny. Adam Jones would say "a trained monkey can go for a ride in a hydro". While that may be right...I am not smart enough to post pictures since the website changed. Someone would have to walk me through it step by step. I honestly haven't tried ,though.
Hmmm...maybe Adam is right.
Wags

[Terrible toy]

ROFL..
The truth is equally funny. Adam Jones would say "a trained monkey can go for a ride in a hydro".


Wags, I was told a little different slant on the "monkey-hydro" story. Goes something like this, It's easy to find a driver for a hydro... put a banana in the steering wheel and the first monkey stupid enough to climb in to get it is your driver.

Flat bottom drivers never get tired of making fun of hydro guys. I think it the springs from the complex they get after putting tons of money and effort into a flat only to go 20 mph slower then a hydro.:D:D

A word about hydro steering, I found out the hard way that you don't crank a lot of wheel into one until after the tail drops.:eek:

[wagspe208]

A word about hydro steering, I found out the hard way that you don't crank a lot of wheel into one until after the tail drops.:eek:
That is funny. I did the same thing a few years ago. It will ceretainly lift a sponson..won't it.
Wags

[shooter2]

Flat bottom drivers never get tired of making fun of hydro guys. I think it the springs from the complex they get after putting tons of money and effort into a flat only to go 20 mph slower then a hydro.:D:D

A hydro is a flat bottom with training wheels. lol

[RiverRacer]

Hydros are flat bottoms with training wheels yes indeed, hee haw!.LOL...:D:D:D

[Terrible toy]

That is funny. I did the same thing a few years ago. It will ceretainly lift a sponson..won't it.
Wags

Yes it will, I put an extra pleat in the seat staying in the boat.

I wish all the flat drivers could make one pass in a hydro. I'm sure you have experienced the increased speed sensation over a flat you get at the start in a "pickle fork" hydro. Man, that first pass in a "training wheel" boat (with credit to shooter 2 and Art:rolleyes:) when the tail pops and the right sponson looks like it's going under the water looks about two feet away and moving at mach 6.

Not that flats don't have their own thrills, but, like you know, a hydro is weird. The deck goes down tail comes up, left sponson lifts, and if you have a cross wind ya gotta use a lot of body lean and steering to stay in the course.

[shooter2]

I am just kidding if I ever had the chance to take one for a ride I would in a minute. I really dont care what it is, if it's a fast boat I want to drive it or go for a ride.

Brian

[Terrible toy]

I am just kidding if I ever had the chance to take one for a ride I would in a minute. I really dont care what it is, if it's a fast boat I want to drive it or go for a ride.

Brian

Hey Brian, going fast in boats can sometimes be too serious, so a little kidding is what keeps us all sane. Like the man said "if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen...er water":D

By the way, my grandparents owned a farm near Olds Alberta that has a lot of fond memories for me. Is that anywhere near where you live?

[RiverRacer]

Yes it will, I put an extra pleat in the seat staying in the boat.

I wish all the flat drivers could make one pass in a hydro. I'm sure you have experienced the increased speed sensation over a flat you get at the start in a "pickle fork" hydro. Man, that first pass in a "training wheel" boat (with credit to shooter 2 and Art:rolleyes:) when the tail pops and the right sponson looks like it's going under the water looks about two feet away and moving at mach 6.

Not that flats don't have their own thrills, but, like you know, a hydro is weird. The deck goes down tail comes up, left sponson lifts, and if you have a cross wind ya gotta use a lot of body lean and steering to stay in the course.

I never drove one but I went for a ride in one once, totally night and day to a flat, sure feels weird when the tail comes up, kinda scary the first time, LOL..

[Terrible toy]

I never drove one but I went for a ride in one once, totally night and day to a flat, sure feels weird when the tail comes up, kinda scary the first time, LOL..

My exact feelings, everything is backwards from a flat. Like the shut down, in a flat when you shut the throttle down the boat slows down fast. My first ride in the hydro I though the thing would never stop.

[RiverRacer]

My first ride in the hydro I though the thing would never stop.

Yeah that really surprised me when he backed off the throttle, kinda like hitting the brakes on ice and you keep right on going, LOL..

[wagspe208]

Yeah that really surprised me when he backed off the throttle, kinda like hitting the brakes on ice and you keep right on going, LOL..

Wait...is hell freezing right now? Did I enter some alter universe? Is tyhe world spinning backwards?
It almost looks like flat bottom guys and hydro guys agree on something. ROFL. I must be missing something.
I guess miracles do happen.
Wags

[shooter2]

Wait...is hell freezing right now? Did I enter some alter universe? Is tyhe world spinning backwards?
It almost looks like flat bottom guys and hydro guys agree on something. ROFL. I must be missing something.
I guess miracles do happen.
Wags

The date today is May 13, mark it down, this won't happen often. LOL

Brian

[RiverRacer]

Wait...is hell freezing right now? Did I enter some alter universe? Is tyhe world spinning backwards?
It almost looks like flat bottom guys and hydro guys agree on something. ROFL. I must be missing something.
I guess miracles do happen.
Wags

That's some funny shit right there!.LOL..:D