Install Off Center – Don’t Give Up Your Transom!
Whether you like mooring stern-to in a marina for the ease of hopping off, or love the platform for donning your mask and flippers at anchor – you don’t have to give that up!
Swim steps and drop down transoms are the norm for modern boats and we encourage off center installations. If you have a sugar scoop transom, a platform, or even a nice boarding ladder, just mount the Hydrovane to one side to maintain full use.
Often an off center installation helps accommodate other gear, and also means you have perfectly positioned handholds for getting on and off the boat… your transom becomes more functional.
A number of years ago, various trials were conducted through the University of Southampton to help determine if off center installations affect performance. The tests were conclusive: The Hydrovane is absolutely indifferent as to its location – as long as it has ‘clean water’ to work with, the rudder can produce its certain amount of steering power wherever it is located.
More importantly, however, are the real-life experiences on the water. About 75% of Hydrovane installations in the past 10 years have been mounted off center, and we have hundreds of testimonials from happy customers.
With the change in modern boat transoms, extreme offsets are becoming common place. The only advantages of an amidships installation might be the aesthetics (for some boats) and perhaps a bit more protection provided by the boat’s keel.
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