Question:
Can Sea-Doo's with O.P.A.S. steering be converted?
Answer:
In May I decided to purchase a Sea doo 4 tec ltd to use as a demo for my steering in place of the OPAS, since then I have logged over 150 hours on this ski with the conversion to my steering.
I drove the ski with the OPAS on it first and found that it worked but it seems to over steer at high speed and in chop it was really annoying as it seems to hold the ski back in chop. It was also hard to get it to steer in reverse. I feel that OPAS is better than nothing and it does work but it has a few draw backs. For the recreational skier it should be fine, it does seem to scrub a little off the top speed though.
Doing the conversion to my steering was not simple due to all the hardware and holes Sea doo uses for the OPAS.
After removing all the OPAS hardware, I built 4 block off plates from stainless steel and made gaskets to block off the holes in the hull. There are block off kits out on the market for that purpose as lots of people remove their OPAS steering. I also had to remove the large boss on the bottom of the stock nozzle where the OPAS tie rods connect.
Once this was completed I installed a cobra jet king cobra unit to the steering nozzle. This did not go below the bottom of the ride plate but is actually even with the bottom. I still get people that just don't understand HOW this can work at high speed if the fins don't go below the boat. It's simple, the hull displaces water, once the water gets past the ride plate it rises up and contacts the fins. The next time you follow a boat that is moving fast look at what the water does as it comes out from under the rear of the boat.
Once the ski was fitted with my steering I took it out to see how it would respond.
Reverse is now precise, high speed response is great, the jerking in chop is gone. In comparison the OPAS did respond better on off power, meaning that driving wide open and letting go of the throttle while turning, OPAS had a better influence.
The cobra steering did give the ski a power steering effect at high speed, the faster you go the easier it is to turn the steering. This is always the result due to external water forces counteracting the force of the jet pump on the inside of the steering nozzle.
I haven't really had the time to do any videos however while out on shell island in June just a few weeks after buying this ski, a relative took some impromptu videos that I put on YouTube. When the weather gets a bit warmer I plan on doing a real video.
YouTube Video 1
YouTube Video 2
Question:
Will those fins cut someone if you run over them with your jet ski?
Answer:
First I would hope that the enhanced steering would greatly improve your ability to avoid the unfortunate person in the first place. However lets take the worst-case senerio. If a person were run over by a jet ski, they would most likely sustain serious injury from impact with the hull, head injuries, internal injuries, etc. The fins are not protruding below the ride plate more than 1/4 of an inch and not at all in most cases so I do not believe that should cause any more than some blunt soft tissue injury. The fins are not sharp, I demonstrate that by taking a set of fins and drawing them across my wrist while applying considerable force with no injury resulting.
However; that is a common question and I addressed that concern in my second patent.
Question:
Will this steering actually do all the things you say it will?
Answer:
Although it's new and we have not installed it and tested it on every make and model and type of jet ski known to man, the ones we have tested it on have had excellent results. The description of what it does for your jet ski came about because of the results we experienced first hand while testing them. We tested it on numerous 2 & 3 seat Seadoos, Kawasaki models and Yamahas. We even did a stand up Kawasaki!
Question:
Are there any other benefits I can expect from this steering?
Answer:
Yes! Increased retail value of your watercraft. From my own experience I have sold numerous jet skis that were equipped with my steering. Each time a perspective customer test drove the jet ski before discussing price they purchased it even when I refused to lower the asking price. I did notice however, that just telling them about the steering did not have the same effect, but once they actually tried it out they were sold.
Question:
Will I experience any loss of speed at top end when using this steering system?
Answer:
No, we could not find any noticeable or measurable loss of speed when using this steering.
Question:
Why don't you recommend using your steering on pwc with extended sponsons?
Answer:
In my opinion extended sponsons have a nasty habit of creating harsh side hops. Cobra Jet Steering doesn't do that. Don't confuse that with Yamaha sponsons, those work great with my steering. My concern is that the average operator will have difficulty dealing with the combined effect of after mkt. sponsons and my steering. If you're an accomplished operator it's your call, but let me warn you its extreme!!
Question:
You always talk about sitting on the seat while operating a pwc with your steering, what if I operate it while standing and leaning like a conventional jet ski?
Answer:
It will simply enhance the already enhanced steering I said you don't need to stand I didn't say not to. I always demonstrate the steering while sitting to show Cobra Jet Steering is doing the steering not me. Remember standing will put the center of gravity higher and you can get thrown off!
Question:
Why do you say it's not a stand alone steering system?
Answer:
This particular prototype was designed to enhance the existing steering without creating a hazard by extending way below the watercraft. If you shut down the engine it will give a little influence but not what I consider sufficient to maintain proper control. Remember the hull is straight and the hull resistance in the water makes it want to travel straight. It would require huge rudders to overcome that resistance. It's similar to shutting down an outboard motor boat and trying to steer it, not an ideal situation.
Question:
Who is operating the jet skis in the videos?
Answer:
One of my sons is driving the stand up pulling the kneeboard. I'm driving everything else except the SP two seat in the Off Throttle Demonstration, that is being operated by a relative who volunteered to test his two seat for the video. As a point of interest, I'm over 50, certainly no athlete and never drove a jet ski before starting this project. The tape of the seadoo doing the slalom course with one hand was done when I had only been driving a ski for a couple of months. This should give you an indication of just how effective the steering is.
Question:
How do you know the steering provides faster hole shots?
Answer:
First if you observe the steering system you can see that the outer fins cup the water and will not allow it to go around the steering nozzle therefore it produces upward force lifting the back of the watercraft similar to trim tabs on extended cavitation plates on outboard motors.
We took two identical 3 seat Seadoo GTX models and ran them side by side. The one with the steering system took a 10 - 12 foot lead off the line over the one without the steering system. During the race that lead was the only advantage and that distance remained constant to the end of the race, indicating that the jet skis were evenly matched. We ran several tests with identical results each time.
Question:
Do you get any benefit in an off power situation?
Answer:
Yes, using the same two GTX 3 seat jet skis we put a marker out and road side by side toward the marker traveling at approx. 40 mph. When we arrived at the marker we let go of the throttle and turned the handle bars to the left as far as it would go. The jet ski with the steering turned in less than half the distance as the one without. Both jet skis were set at the 1500 RPM idle specs indicated as the factory setting in the service manual.
We ran numerous tests all with the same results. I still feel more comfortable stating that this particular prototype is not a stand alone system, as I prefer to keep the fins small and close to or even with the hull.
After all the tests I have done on a multitude of sizes, shapes and angles of various fins, I feel confident that the steering systems offered to you will provide you with the results I stated on the first page of this website.
Question:
What is the second patent for?
Answer:
The second patent covers numerous design changes, and some pretty interesting designs. I will put some of that info on my site at a later date. The patent addresses numerous areas and puts the steering in a convenient replacement nozzle specifically designed for each application. Unfortunately this is not even close to being available to the public yet, and it will be more expensive.
So for now I will stay with what's available since the benefits are similar. Keep in mind that I have a money back guarantee and I pay the freight to return them if you aren't satisfied with the results. I can see no advantage to telling people these steering units will do things that they can't do. I fully understand that like any new product people are skeptical. I have yet to find the words or even the videos that have the same effect, as does actually experiencing it first hand. I already know how jet skis handle with and without the enhanced steering, I hear the same things over and over from people who have never tried it. I also hear the same things over and over from people who have tried it. Things like ... wow, awesome, tight and that's unbelievable, and can you make my jet ski steer like that? There has not been one negative response from any person who has actually had a first hand experience with this steering. Regardless of their level of experience with jet skis in general.
Question:
Will this have any ill effect on plastic or composite nozzles?
Answer:
Most of the jet skis in the videos have the factory plastic nozzles accept for the SP which had a pot metal nozzle, none had any ill effect or excessive wear. The 3 seat GTX fell off the trailer once and landed on the fins, severely bending the center one. I used a pair of duck bill vice grips and realigned it while it was on the jet ski. There was no damage to the nozzle and the same fins were used in the believe it or not video. So based on first hand experience the answer is, NO, it doesn't have any ill effect on the nozzle.
Question:
I have a Seadoo jet boat, can I use the jet ski system for this application?
Answer:
We have steering for the Seadoo boats both with the Seadoo engines and Mercury engines.
Question:
Are you offering any steering for stand up jet skies?
Answer:
I have built steering for stand up skies however the steering is a bit different and the installation is more complex. If you feel you possess the required skills and equipment to perform the installation correctly please feel free to email me and we can discuss this application in detail.
Question:
Do you have any steering available for Yamaha jet boats?
Answer:
Yes, we now have a simple to install and effective steering system special designed for most Yamaha jet drives. Click here to view picture of application.
Question:
Do you have a system for Polaris and other jet boats that use the Mercury engine and jet pump?
Answer:
Yes, we now have a steering system for Mercury 175, 240 and Mercury Optimax 200,250 jet drive systems.
Question:
How can your steering REDUCE pressure on the steering components?
Answer:
The pressure you feel in your steering is caused by the steering nozzle trying to redirect a high pressure stream of water being expelled by your pump in a straight line. As the nozzle turns, you feel the water from the jet trying to straighten the nozzle. Because it creates force on the inside wall of the nozzle, the fins connect with the water and the centrifugal force of the rear of the boat going sideways applies pressure on the outside of the fins. These fins are connected to the nozzle and counter the force of the jet on the inside of the nozzle canceling out some of that force.
Question:
If the fins are not placed way below the boat, how can they work when the boat is on a plain?
Answer:
Even on a plain your boat displaces water. As soon as the water reaches the rear of the ride plate it rises up. As it rises up it connects with the fins. It's just that simple.
Please see Important Information
| 
