what would cause this steering problem?
 

A friend of mine had his Cobalt at the lake a couple of weekends ago, this is an older boat (mid-90s, 22' 454 with Bravo 1) that he's had for a couple of years. Says he can't let go of the steering wheel without it wanting to turn on its own when underway. He had ridden in my boat and was like, "You mean...you can take your hands off the steering wheel?" in somewhat disbelief. I said, yes...that was normal.

Thoughts?

It can be normal with full mechanical steering.

Bad gimbal ring

Single engine with mechanical steering, it is a pretty typical situation

My steering was same and awful until I went fully hydro external IMCO. Now it's like a sports car.

x 3

100 % normal.
Even my single engine Pantera with add on hyd steering pulled to one side. Its caused by the torque of the prop spinning one one way.

Put a Bravo III lower on it if it really bugs him.

I bet he has a Mirage or + prop. Try a Bravo 1 or Rev 4 prop and see the difference.

I would love to go this route. Night and day difference.

gotta single 454 bravo mechanical steering now and it pulls to the side also obviously.


​​​​​​​ i run a Rev 4 23p definitely helps.

The Cobalts run well with a B3... they aren't an offshore speed demon so if a B3 swap is a possibility, any potential for a speed loss (if any) is more than made up for in handling and tracking

My first boat was a 76 Carlson with mechanical steering. Had a Volvo 280 drive and a left handed prop. Tried a right hand prop once and it pulled to the side pretty bad. Put the LH prop back on and it tracked very well. Not saying that's your friends issue but might be worth a try.

I've forwarded these responses to him...thanks, guys.

Have you tried adjusting the trim tab anode? It’s a little fin below the cavitation plate that is designed to correct you were very problem. My dad had a brand new boat that would rip the wheel out of your hand just needed a little turn of the anode.

One a single mechanical drive, Trim it up, trim it down, that should change the pull from clockwise to counterclockwise.

I had a boat, when fully trimmed you could barely hold the wheel, so much torque steer.

Assuming the twins are counter-rotating props, they should technically balance out.

I have no experience with twin engines, but it might be possible that his drives both turn in the same direction.

Yup, mechical drive like my 1995 Hallett 240S with 502EFI/Bravo One 22P four blade. Mine doesn't pull all that much, but I definitely can't drive with my hand off the wheel. I dove my friend's Hallett 270 with hydraulic steering,,,what a difference, amazing, really how sweet that is to not have any slop and need to constnatly make small corrections.