Good posts. I check all the fluids every time I use the boat.

A few weeks ago , I too went out for a high speed run. At 80+ I felt my steering getting real stiff. ( Full Hydraulic) I also started smelling oil . Backed off the throttle and set her down. It stayed straight. Opened the hatch and had a bad oil leak at the back of the engine. Limped back to the dock with no steering. Burning up the power steering pump. Turns out that I had ruptured the low pressure side hose of my power steering right near where it attaches to the cooler. The hose had a slice in it like it had been cut with a knife. There is nothing around it to cut it. I figured I must have scraped the hose on the back edge of the boat when installing the engine. Ran it all last year like that not knowing. Put a very thick walled hose on now and a new pump and it runs great. I just consider myself very lucky it blew when it did. There were other times that it could have been very bad. I too check everything I can everytime I go out. Now I'm even more thorough, and pay extra attention to the steering.

It's called "pre-flight inspection" just like the pilots do. Typically a breakdown form a self-inflicted wound will cost a long, hot slow, tow back to the dock.

This past weekend a friend of mine couldn't get away from the dock due to a constant alarm heading to the tiki-bar on the eastern shore. He got tunnel vision and started thinking complicated i.e. electrical etc. because he had had a battery issue. Turned out later he had some warranty drive service recently done, and apparently upon replacing the fluids it was never topped off again (air bubbles etc). Soooo, upon startup the drive lube alarm sounded but he never stopped to think simple (because he assumed the with service done, not an issue).

Very basics
Do I have proper oil levels?
Do I have proper drive lube levels?
Do I have any unidentified leaks?
Same once over after startup
Now do I have water flow/pressure?
Oil pressure?
Volt meters reading 13-14V?
Watch the temp gauges the first few minutes

and.......more mportant of all





Is the cooler onboard and stocked.....

I know it's not the coolest looking thing to do, but I've developed the habit of popping the hatch first start of the day. Quick visual inspection, quick check of fluids, no water in the bilge (remember the plug!!!) fire 'em up. Good oil psi, one more quick look and away we go.
I consider it my "pre-FLOAT" checklist...

On the topic of power steering fluid, I don't see how people rely on a fluid subjected to significant high-rpm use, without the same service as other fluids. There's a reason these systems have coolers...they're subjected to conditions beyond they're design limits. $20 for a couple quarts of Redline synthetic PS fluid is just another cheap effort that prolongs the life...

Quick update on this one.

In typical form, Joe at Sunsation called this morning to make sure I was ok. He outlined to me exactly how the system was rigged as to ensure I was 100% in the know as I try to get to the bottom of the issue. Once again, they go above the call of duty to ensure a happy and safe customer.

I dropped her off tonight at the mechanic who showed me my service slip where it said the PS Fluid was 'checked and topped off', so he thinks there is a leak. Per my original post, it seems I misunderstood what he drained and recharged - it was the power trim resevoir as he found a leak and wanted to ensure there was no water in the system.

I will let you know the outcome however, I feel confident that he will not find a leak. I feel like they overlooked this low resevoir in my service...

There are a lot of people on this board more mechanically inclined than I am but I don't think there is any explanation other than a leak or it wasn't full from the factory. At 20 hours it should have been checked but not changed. Or am I wrong?

Just to clarify per my post above, it was not changed. I misunderstood this when I picked up the boat from having the service - it was the power trim fluid that was changed - not the power steering fluid. Today, he confirmed it was 'checked and topped off'. All I know is that it was empty on Saturday and I saw nothing in the bilge, nothing on the transom of the boat (or in the water) and nothing in the dash....will let you know what happens.

I'm glad your ok. Doesn't take but a second for things to go wrong.

I do the exact same thing.....as most of my buddies do also.

Glad your OK Shawn, I do the pre flight check everytime. See you in a few days!!