I'm trying to neaten up my center console outboard motor splash well hose routing. Currently the hose routing goes like this: threaded nipples from the backside of the bennett trim tab actuators poke through the transom, into the splash well, then 90 degree bend fittings are threaded on the nipples with compression fittings , and from there the standard black plastic hydraulic tubing runs from the bends through a rubber boot grommet into the hull / bilge area, making its way to the control pump unit.
I'm worried that a swimmer / diver will step on the tubing in the splashwell when boarding and snap the tubing off at the compression fittings.
Does anyone know of any vendor who sell stainless braid hoses and fittings so I can remove the black plastic tubing from the splash well? Can I use standard hydraulic hoses from non-marine sources?
I called bennett marine and they reccommended staying with the plastic tubing and the rep was hesitant to offer any suggestions (probably for liability / reliability reasons).
Don't waste the expense on stainless braided lines. Go to a local Parker Hose or Aeroquip distributor and have them make you up rubber-coated lines. They'll still have the same pressure rating (substantially beyond the system requirements. -4 lines should have a min 10K/psi working pressure. You'd be lucky to see 1K) and the steel braid will still be there- it's just encased in rubber. They don't look as cool but it won't act like a giant file, wearing away at whatever it's screwed to. They can also order s/s fittings that are way stronger than the anodized aluminum stuff.
You can run from the cylinders on the tabs all the way to the pumps- you'll need a long-reach bulkhead fitting to go thru the transom. If you can't find the length, you might have to back-bore the inside of the transom to get the retaining nut on.
