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Placing our order tomorrow!

Tooner said:
+1 on the sealed strakes and Salt water package. Also agree on the Shark Hide.


As for the power assisted steering, hearing all of these positive, absolutely glowing reports on it is quickly changing me from one who said "why?", to one that is now going to ask my dealer about the retrofit upgrade. I actually had some confusion, since I had asked my dealer what the rubber plug on the top right of my helm was for, and was told it was the fill port for my power steering. I guess not in my case, since there is no pump under the helm.


So, being we are in the "sunshine state", this may become a double Bimini and power assist upgrade. The wife will be ever so pleased with me and my continued need for additional funds. Jeesh! This is an expensive site.
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Tooner, if you have the vent, you must have the assisted steering. The pump could be elsewhere than under the helm.


Have your dealer show you where the pump is installed or explain why you have the vent and no pump.
 
Power steering test - Go full throttle and make a sharp turn. Can you steer with your pinky finger? If yes, you have power assist. If not, you have hydraulic or cable
 
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My power steering pump is located under the starboard front lounger. 
 
Anyone with hydraulic steering has the fill on the helm.
 
Yes, you have hydraulic steering, you are the power that moves the fluid when you turn the steering wheel, the pump is under the dash on the other end of the steering shaft.  Power assist puts another pump inline with the hydraulic lines. You move fluid between the wheel pump and the assist pump, then the assist pump moves the fluid to the cylinder at the motor.
 
I had the vent and only had hydraulic and all they did was add the pump under the helm. 
 
Alicedream said:
I had the vent and only had hydraulic and all they did was add the pump under the helm. 
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What did they charge to do that Alicedream?


Well, maybe that explains why I thought just Sea Star was not too bad. I must admit, I've never had any problem with things that required effort, and in my prime there wasn't anything I couldn't pick up, turn, or whatever. But still, my steering is not quite one finger easy, although I have no problems with quick maneuvers or turns.


I am 100% certain there is no electric pump anywhere on the boat. Just as certain that I have the rubber filler plug on the helm, and I had always thought that I had Sea Star, but that other than the pump, most of the plumbing was there. 


Question: is this the way the Sea Star equipped boats are usually built? I am at a disadvantage since we are about 1,500 miles away from the boat, so I can not confirm anything. I will however contact my dealer and ask some questions. 


Thanks for all the comments, I chime back in on this when back at the boat.
 
Tooner said:
What did they charge to do that Alicedream?


Well, maybe that explains why I thought just Sea Star was not too bad. I must admit, I've never had any problem with things that required effort, and in my prime there wasn't anything I couldn't pick up, turn, or whatever. But still, my steering is not quite one finger easy, although I have no problems with quick maneuvers or turns.


I am 100% certain there is no electric pump anywhere on the boat. Just as certain that I have the rubber filler plug on the helm, and I had always thought that I had Sea Star, but that other than the pump, most of the plumbing was there. 


Question: is this the way the Sea Star equipped boats are usually built? I am at a disadvantage since we are about 1,500 miles away from the boat, so I can not confirm anything. I will however contact my dealer and ask some questions. 


Thanks for all the comments, I chime back in on this when back at the boat.
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All they had to do is add the pump under the helm which is mounted on the floor. They needed hoses from the pump to steering helm and they had to run electric line back to the battery. I have driven all types of boats since I was 12.  I inquired about why power assist was not on the build a few weeks after it was ordered because Bennington recommends power assist for HP motors 150 and up with SPS and ESP. My dealer talked me out it saying no one has ever complained about not having it with the 200hp build. I figured I had never driven a boat with hydraulic steering so it would have to better than the cable steering on my previous Benny that had a 115 MERC. Well they were wrong, the steering was difficult at slow and fast speeds and much harder than my previous boat with cable steering. I will also make another point that I am sure some people can tolerate the hydraulic steering. I drove the boat for two weeks and still loved my new Bennington, but the key word is "tolerate". Once you drive a boat with power steering you will never want to  drive anything else. It increases the enjoyment of driving your boat exponentially! It allows you to get maximum value out of high HP motors and the tritoon performance packages.
 
Alicedream said:
All they had to do is add the pump under the helm which is mounted on the floor. They needed hoses from the pump to steering helm and they had to run electric line back to the battery. I have driven all types of boats since I was 12.  I inquired about why power assist was not on the build a few weeks after it was ordered because Bennington recommends power assist for HP motors 150 and up with SPS and ESP. My dealer talked me out it saying no one has ever complained about not having it with the 200hp build. I figured I had never driven a boat with hydraulic steering so it would have to better than the cable steering on my previous Benny that had a 115 MERC. Well they were wrong, the steering was difficult at slow and fast speeds and much harder than my previous boat with cable steering. I will also make another point that I am sure some people can tolerate the hydraulic steering. I drove the boat for two weeks and still loved my new Bennington, but the key word is "tolerate". Once you drive a boat with power steering you will never want to  drive anything else. It increases the enjoyment of driving your boat exponentially! It allows you to get maximum value out of high HP motors and the tritoon performance packages.
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Thanks for the info. I'll check it out with my dealer.
 
Congratulations on your new Bennington!  You have made some great choices on your build.  +1 on the decision to go with the Sharkhide and Power Assist Steering.  Those are the only two regrets I have with my boat.  I have a 200 and yes I can steer it fairly well, but in turns at speed I can definitely see where Power Steering would be a plus.  On the Sharkhide, if ordering, I would add it for the small additional pricing; however, my dealer didn't seem too key or confident adding it on themselves which made me decide to forego it.


Enjoy the audio this year, and over the winter install that nice setup you have.  The first thing I did when I got my boat was to donate my new Sony radio and Kicker speakers to some acquaintances at our weekend lake hangout.  That equipment is way to nice to leave sitting around!   B)


...these forums will make you broke!  Beware of all the good advice!  I am very happy with my boat, but by the time I've typed this message, I am now going to search the forum for advice on how to add the power steering after delivery.  I don't know if this is something my dealer is up to the challenge for or if I should go with one of my mechanic friends.  Wish me luck and for anyone reading this who has made the change after delivery, I welcome your advice or links to good information on this site.  I have a S series which may be a different install than with one of the "upper" series boats.


Again, congratulations on your Benni!  Now the hard part of waiting begins!
 
Thanks for the warm welcome guys! It's 111 degrees today, and wishing the boat was here already!
 
I had to edit my post on thread about "G" helm ..... per a request........
 
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