Sessa 35 power steering

[Nigbb]

Can anybody help, I am in process of buying a Sessa 35 and it has some red power steering fluid at the back of the engine bay, in addition to this there is no resistance on the steering wheel so I suspect a fluid leak.
I don't have any experience of boat steering system, are these electo hydraulic? What is likely to be leaking fluid?
Any suggestions would be most welcome.

 

[Momac]

If you could state the make and model of engine it might help?
Probably there is a belt driven power steering pump on the engine ?

 

[QBhoy]

Hi. It could be from this…or from trim tabs or from power trim reservoir. Does the steering have no resistance but still steering ? That would tell the tale perhaps. What engine and drive train are we talking ?

 

[Seastoke]

Can anybody help, I am in process of buying a Sessa 35 and it has some red power steering fluid at the back of the engine bay, in addition to this there is no resistance on the steering wheel so I suspect a fluid leak.
I don't have any experience of boat steering system, are these electo hydraulic? What is likely to be leaking fluid?
Any suggestions would be most welcome.

The seller should have it repaired , would you buy a car with a leak , no.

 

[Momac]

Just thinking
It's possible the steering or the leg trim has been topped up or changed and some fluid spilled in the process.
If the steering is very light with the engine running that is normal, probably.

 

[Nigbb]

If you could state the make and model of engine it might help?
Probably there is a belt driven power steering pump on the engine ?

Hi, thanks for coming, its D4.260,s Volvo, do you think its driven by one of the engines just like a car?

 

[Nigbb]

Hi. It could be from this…or from trim tabs or from power trim reservoir. Does the steering have no resistance but still steering ? That would tell the tale perhaps. What engine and drive train are we talking ?

The seller should have it repaired , would you buy a car with a leak , no.

The objective here is for me to try to see if its better me to get the seller to rectify or get a reduction and deal with it myself.

 

[Momac]

Hi, thanks for coming, its D4.260,s Volvo, do you think its driven by one of the engines just like a car?

I am not familiar with the D4 but expect it is an engine driven steering pump like a car
The steering pump will probably be on one engine and there will be a reservoir located to the rear of the engine something like this (photo not from the same boat) .......

 

[Nigbb]

OK I see, as you can probably tell I dont have much experience with marine but this is going to be pretty basic and what I am used to seeing trucks. The fluid leak is over in the stb qtr so I am thinking it could be as simple as a weeping pipe or joint assuming that the actual ram is on the outside of the hull.
Thanks for your help in understanding this.
Cheers Nigel

 

[Seastoke]

OK I see, as you can probably tell I dont have much experience with marine but this is going to be pretty basic and what I am used to seeing trucks. The fluid leak is over in the stb qtr so I am thinking it could be as simple as a weeping pipe or joint assuming that the actual ram is on the outside of the hull.
Thanks for your help in understanding this.
Cheers Nigel

Have have you sea trialed the boat.

 

[BB1]

The objective here is for me to try to see if its better me to get the seller to rectify or get a reduction and deal with it myself.

Have it repaired BEFORE you buy it

 

[Nigbb]

Have have you sea trialed the boat.

Next Monday its being surveyed , not much of a SEA trial is it river based .

 

[Momac]

If it's with a marina broker perhaps get a fixed price for the repair and deduct that from the price you pay.
But perhaps wait until after the survey as other faults may be revealed.

My present boat was well presented but the surveyor found multiple faults , one of which was serious. The report was valuable in re-negotiating the price.

I would say its usual to make a deduction and then complete the work rather than asking the vendor to do the work. The advantage being you have some control over the quality of the work.

Bear in mind a boat can sometimes feel like a collection of faults waiting to reveal themselves.

 

[Nigbb]

OK thanks for that info, as I said its being surveyed next week so I will see what that comes up with and if you dont mind I may just seek a bit more advise from you after that.
Cheers Nigel