Bent Keel

[BBoater]

I was getting ready to install my Cobra Jet Steering system and noticed my articulating keel is bent. It's about 1/2" to the starboard side on the end. Wondering if I should wait to install the cobra jets until I can get a replacement? It doesn't seem like they would interfere much with replacing the keel. Doubt this would be covered under warranty, how hard are these to replace?

The jets are toe-d in quite a bit towards center. I'm going to get those aligned straight out at least.

 

[BBoater]

Looks like the rudder is held on by some C clips on this '22. The '21 parts diagrams I found show a bolt on the bottom, so that must have changed.

 

[AZMark]

You should verify it’s actually bent and not designed that way. That would take a lot to bend that thing.
Mine is straight but different boat and it seems like a different design.

 

[Scottintexas]

@Cobra Jet Steering LLC might have some good advice,

 

[jdkaeser]

You should verify it’s actually bent and not designed that way. That would take a lot to bend that thing.
Mine is straight but different boat and it seems like a different design.

What he said first. If it is bent, it doesn't look that bad, I would just adjust the rod to center it up. Hell, they wander so bad even with fins on them I don't know how you would notice!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

It is a plastic composite rudder I have pictures of broken rudders , I believe they started making them of a softer material to try to stop them from ripping off the back of the boat when they impact things. I call it the achilleas keel as it is the lowest part of the boat . However you can probably use a heat gun and heat it up then clamp it between 2 pieces of straight metal or wood and let it cool , as for wander if my steering is installed correctly that is not happening, but if the nozzles and rudder are not aligned properly those boats wander and you are doing the left right constant corrections and they often pull to the right with the stock setup.

 

[BBoater]

@Cobra Jet Steering LLC Thanks, I had considered heating it up. I can't bend it at all on the boat. It doesn't appear damaged at all so maybe it came this way and I am just noticing now.

What do you think about running with just your steering system and no factory rudder on these new boats? Am I giving up a lot if I ditch the rudder. I saw you mentioned it in another thread which made me curious. This boat will be used in all water types; NY lakes in summer to gulf coast FL in the winter.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I had a customer with a 27 foot boat install a pair of super ultimate ak-19 deluxe steering in place of the original rudder and I have not heard any feedback so I can not give any detailed info but I also had a customer remove a rudder on a 19 foot boat that broke off the rudder on an oyster bed in Miami and he loved it as well as it was spring loaded so any further impacts won't be an issue and that was quite a while ago so if there was any issue I believe he would have contacted me. I really believe the super ultimate ak-19 deluxe is the way to just eliminate the rudder all together. gets the tempered aluminum spring loaded adjustable fins with the plaining surfaces on the boat up away from the bottom of the boat and it costs $540 total to do both nozzles , probably costs less that that fixing the rudder if the mount on the hull is broken along with a damaged the rudder.

 

[AZMark]

@Cobra Jet Steering LLC Thanks, I had considered heating it up. I can't bend it at all on the boat. It doesn't appear damaged at all so maybe it came this way and I am just noticing now.

What do you think about running with just your steering system and no factory rudder on these new boats? Am I giving up a lot if I ditch the rudder. I saw you mentioned it in another thread which made me curious. This boat will be used in all water types; NY lakes in summer to gulf coast FL in the winter.

@Sotally Tober removed his in his build thread I think

 

[BBoater]

You should verify it’s actually bent and not designed that way. That would take a lot to bend that thing.
Mine is straight but different boat and it seems like a different design.

I believe you are right. I took it off and on close inspection is seems to be designed this way. There are no scuffs or marks of any kind so it isn't damaged.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

That is very doubt full possibly defective but I have not seen any that were like that new.

 

[BBoater]

Hi @Cobra Jet Steering LLC, I did end up putting in the lake with the stock keel removed and Cobra Jets. There was a big dead spot at 30mph in the steering. Maybe 45 degrees of dead spot in the wheel before the cobra fins kicked in. I have them in the recommended 4/5 position. So I'm going to straighten or get a new keel and add that back in. Definitely noticed improvements crossing waves at an angle and acceleration was a bit more responsive at low speeds. Docking wasn't much better at idle in my narrow slip, but hopefully with adding back the keel I'll experience the benefits others have reported. Thanks for the support!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Hi @Cobra Jet Steering LLC, I did end up putting in the lake with the stock keel removed and Cobra Jets. There was a big dead spot at 30mph in the steering. Maybe 45 degrees of dead spot in the wheel before the cobra fins kicked in. I have them in the recommended 4/5 position. So I'm going to straighten or get a new keel and add that back in. Definitely noticed improvements crossing waves at an angle and acceleration was a bit more responsive at low speeds. Docking wasn't much better at idle in my narrow slip, but hopefully with adding back the keel I'll experience the benefits others have reported. Thanks for the support!

That was with the steering made for the twin engine articulating keel , the 27 foot boat owner added 2 of the single engine sets made for the 19 foot boats that have the 2 super fins on each nozzle that work at all speeds not the 1 super fin that works at all speeds and the top fin that only comes into play when the boat is off plane. So that would make a difference . If you were removing the keel you would need to change the top inside fins and replace them with super fins , the rest of the setup would remain the same. If you look at the super magnum fin on the outside of your system you will see that there are 2 rows of adjustment holes one row id for using the fin on the outside the other is for using the fin on the inside so the only thing you need to do is add one of the super fins to it even the plaining surface stays the same. So in the 27 foot boats situation he did not have any steering just the rudder and he kept hitting it on his lift because he was backing his boat on to it so he needed the spring loaded system just to be safe . but in your case you would only need to change the existing cobra setup inner fins.

 

[BBoater]

So I decided to order a new "steering plate" and can confirm the new one is exactly the same as the one that came off. So the current design is asymmetrical.

 

[Neutron]

So I decided to order a new "steering plate" and can confirm the new one is exactly the same as the one that came off. So the current design is asymmetrical.

Wonder why they changed it. Mine is straight

 

[jcb1977]

I was installing cobra fins on my new sx250 and noticed my keel looks bent as well. I think this the way they come from the factory but not sure why. It's not symmtrical where the keel starts to get thinner and angles starboard. here is a photo of mine.

 

[fatboyroy]

I was installing cobra fins on my new sx250 and noticed my keel looks bent as well. I think this the way they come from the factory but not sure why. It's not symmtrical where the keel starts to get thinner and angles starboard. here is a photo of mine.View attachment 214025

Its probably designed that way like trim. If you straighten it boat could gradually turn to the left. Just my thoughts, I'm not sure if this is the case.

 

[jcb1977]

Its probably designed that way like trim. If you straighten it boat could gradually turn to the left. Just my thoughts, I'm not sure if this is the case.

I'm not sure either but sure makes it hard when you're trying to align everything when installing the fins. First time out in spring, probably will need to make some changes if it's pulling one way or the other.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I'm not sure either but sure makes it hard when you're trying to align everything when installing the fins. First time out in spring, probably will need to make some changes if it's pulling one way or the other.

The rudder can always be used to adjust any drift when on plane, I do not know why a rudder would be made like that intentionally as any little adjustment to it's position will create a counter effect , however with my patented second tie rod in the mix and the super fins on the outside of each nozzle contacting the water on plane and set with the leading edges slightly towed in toward the center of the boat as described in the instructions it is simple to set the tie rods to favor either side if you need to , All the input from my super fins is why the hull does not experience the speed bleed-off in turns .