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Thought I'd pass along a fix for bad tracking & steering on Ski Nautiques. My boat is a 2014 OB.
Symptoms - if your steering feels like it has a large deadspot and sometimes almost jumps when you turn a certain way you likely have an issue with your rudder. Note that a 200 is the best driving boat out there so it should track like its on rails.
1. Adjust the rudder tab. Push it all the way to the right (when looking at it from the back of the boat)
2. Grease the rudder port
3. With the boat on the trailer, see how much slop is in the rudder by trying to bend it (not turn it). It should be tight with no slop. If it is moving you need to tighten it.
4. To tighten your rudder, take your engine cover and rear compartment out. Loosen the locking nut on the rudder and tighten the rudder nut until you have no slop in your rudder. Tighten the locking nut back up.
5. Note that the rudder assembly has packing, just like old driveshafts. In a really old/high use situation, you may need to replace the packing.
6. If you tighten the rudder, give it some grease after you do.
This should fix any of the above symptoms!
Symptoms - if your steering feels like it has a large deadspot and sometimes almost jumps when you turn a certain way you likely have an issue with your rudder. Note that a 200 is the best driving boat out there so it should track like its on rails.
1. Adjust the rudder tab. Push it all the way to the right (when looking at it from the back of the boat)
2. Grease the rudder port
3. With the boat on the trailer, see how much slop is in the rudder by trying to bend it (not turn it). It should be tight with no slop. If it is moving you need to tighten it.
4. To tighten your rudder, take your engine cover and rear compartment out. Loosen the locking nut on the rudder and tighten the rudder nut until you have no slop in your rudder. Tighten the locking nut back up.
5. Note that the rudder assembly has packing, just like old driveshafts. In a really old/high use situation, you may need to replace the packing.
6. If you tighten the rudder, give it some grease after you do.
This should fix any of the above symptoms!