A method to fill hydraulic oil in hydraulic steering systems for boats. The method uses a closed system to reduce mess and waste, but does not require power and can be performed by a single operator. A bleed lock is secured to a ram's bleeders and hydraulic oil fed to a helm. By rotating a boat's steering wheel and moving the motor, air will flow out of the system into the bottle and hydraulic oil will flow into the system.

A method to fill hydraulic oil in hydraulic steering systems for boats. The method uses a closed system to reduce mess and waste, but does not require power and can be performed by a single operator. A bleed lock is secured to a ram's bleeders and hydraulic oil fed to a helm. By rotating a boat's steering wheel and moving the motor, air will flow out of the system into the bottle and hydraulic oil will flow into the system.

A steering system for a marine vessel comprises a helm, a control head, and a joystick. The helm and control head may respectively provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on a first CAN network. The joystick and the control head may respectively provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on a second CAN network. The helm may provide user inputted steering commands on the first CAN network. The control head may provide user inputted shift and throttle commands on the second CAN network. The joystick may provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on either the first CAN network or the second CAN network.

A steering system for a marine vessel comprises a helm, a control head, and a joystick. The helm and control head may respectively provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on a first CAN network. The joystick and the control head may respectively provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on a second CAN network. The helm may provide user inputted steering commands on the first CAN network. The control head may provide user inputted shift and throttle commands on the second CAN network. The joystick may provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on either the first CAN network or the second CAN network.

A method to fill hydraulic oil in hydraulic steering systems for boats. The method uses a closed system to reduce mess and waste, but does not require power and can be performed by a single operator. A bleed lock is secured to a ram's bleeders and hydraulic oil fed to a helm. By rotating a boat's steering wheel and moving the motor, air will flow out of the system into the bottle and hydraulic oil will flow into the system.

A method to fill hydraulic oil in hydraulic steering systems for boats. The method uses a closed system to reduce mess and waste, but does not require power and can be performed by a single operator. A bleed lock is secured to a ram's bleeders and hydraulic oil fed to a helm. By rotating a boat's steering wheel and moving the motor, air will flow out of the system into the bottle and hydraulic oil will flow into the system.

A steering assembly for a hydraulic steering system is disclosed. The steering assembly includes a steering input device and an auxiliary drive assembly. The auxiliary drive assembly includes a lock valve body with one or more fluid passages that facilitates regulation of a fluid flow in response to an input from the steering input device. The lock valve body has a surface and a guide bore. Further, an electric pump is included that has an electric motor with a drive train unit. The electric pump is adapted to be mounted to the surface and the drive train unit is adapted to be positioned through the guide bore and operably coupled to the one or more fluid passages to regulate the fluid flow in the one or more fluid passages.

A boat includes a planing hull, a propeller, a main rudder, and a pair of flanking rudders. The planing hull has port and starboard sides, a transom, a hull bottom, and a centerline running down the middle of the boat, halfway between the port and starboard sides. The propeller is positioned forward of the transom and beneath the hull bottom. The main rudder is positioned aft of the propeller. The main rudder has a rotation axis about which the main rudder rotates. The flanking rudders are positioned forward of the propeller. One of the flanking rudders is positioned on the port side of the centerline, and the other flanking rudder is positioned on the starboard side of the centerline.

A boat includes a planing hull, a propeller, a main rudder, and a pair of flanking rudders. The planing hull has port and starboard sides, a transom, a hull bottom, and a centerline running down the middle of the boat, halfway between the port and starboard sides. The propeller is positioned forward of the transom and beneath the hull bottom. The main rudder is positioned aft of the propeller. The main rudder has a rotation axis about which the main rudder rotates. The flanking rudders are positioned forward of the propeller. One of the flanking rudders is positioned on the port side of the centerline, and the other flanking rudder is positioned on the starboard side of the centerline.

A steering system for a marine vessel comprises a helm, a control head, and a joystick. The helm and control head may respectively provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on a first CAN network. The joystick and the control head may respectively provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on a second CAN network. The helm may provide user inputted steering commands on the first CAN network. The control head may provide user inputted shift and throttle commands on the second CAN network. The joystick may provide user inputted steering commands and user inputted shift and throttle commands on either the first CAN network or the second CAN network.