Boat Steering systems: Cable, Hydraulic, or Power Assist?
- Captain Verde
- Jun 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 7
One of the most critical aspects of operating your boat is your steering system of course. Most owners of smaller boats, that being 20 ft or below, will stick with cable steering. We have actually seen some 24 ft boats with cable steering, and most of these are owners that believe in the KISS (keep it simple, stupid!) principle. The notion of hydraulic lines and a hydraulic ram introduce complexities and maintenance headaches, these owners believe. And there might be some basis to that. Here are a couple of realities to that sort of thinking however.
Cable steering systems will feel heavier than the average hydraulic system, and will cause more fatigue to the captain than a hydraulic system.
Docking, especially a pontoon boat that turns like a bus, can be a handful with cable steering. You just can't sling that motor over fast enough to get the steerage necessary to turn the bus.
Even though it is a simpler system, cable steering on a boat size approaching 24 ft, with a 150hp motor will have a shorter life than a comparable hydraulic system. The load on the cable is a bit much for its design. We’ve seen it before.
Now, there could be exceptions to all this, and you might hear some folks claim their cable system is 50 years old and going strong. But that is not the common result.
Modern hydraulic systems have become extremely reliable, and of course our experience has been strictly with SeaStar systems. We commonly get at least 3,000 hours on the steering helm pumps before we need to change them (yes we change our own). The rams will last longer than that, but might likely need a seal job before that. The hydraulic systems have the advantage of less fatigue on the operator at the helm. Even more importantly, you’ll be able to turn the steering wheel faster and sling that motor over to get the tighter turn radius that gets your pontoon boat to turn that corner into your dock.
We do indeed recommend SeaStar systems. They are the best of the best, and your steering system is not a place to cheap out.
If you want to get fancy with your steering, SeaStar makes a Power Assist system that can be added to your existing hydraulic system. It lets you spin that steering wheel with hardly any effort at all. The system works by adding an electric hydraulic pump that assists the manual helm pump. It makes an interesting whining sound as well as you turn the steering wheel, so you know at least the electric pump is active. Turning the steering wheel is amazingly easy and effortless with the power assist. We have one on one of our 25.5 ft tri-toons, and it is much easier to get a tighter turn radius on the boat while docking compared to standard hydraulic. Some realities to consider with power assist systems:
Some of our captains took some getting used to the feel of the power assist. It’s very light and effortless, almost as if you were turning a steering wheel on a gaming console.
SeaStar’s power assist systems are pricey, and will likely cost you in excess of $3500 to add to your existing steering system.
If the power assist stops working, or if your battery goes dead, the steering will become very very heavy, worse than cable steering. This is because the helm pump is now having to push the hydraulic fluid through the power assist pump without the assist. Continued use of the steering this way will overwork, and shorten the life of your helm pump. You’ll have to get the power assist repaired/replaced, or have it removed from your hydraulic system. Either/or will be pricey, even for boat owners who are used to the high cost of boat ownership.
Most pontoon boat owners will find that standard hydraulic steering will fit their needs and budget. These systems are reliable, and require modest effort, and you still maintain a good feel in the steering wheel.
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