Patent ID: 7325507

Claim:
A manually operated steering system for a watercraft, comprising: (A) a tiller which is configured to be operatively coupled to a steered element of a watercraft so as to impose manually-generated steering forces on the steered element, wherein the steering system is pumpless and at least substantially all steering forces that are applied by the steering system are generated manually; (B) a hydraulic lock comprising a stationary portion and a movable portion that is configured for connection to the steered element, the movable portion being movable relative to said stationary portion when hydraulic fluid is permitted to flow to or from said hydraulic lock; and (C) a valve assembly which is operatively coupled to said tiller and to said hydraulic lock, said valve assembly 1) being actuated upon manual tiller actuation to permit hydraulic fluid to flow to or from said hydraulic lock and thereby disengage said hydraulic lock and 2) being deactuated in the absence of manual tiller actuation to prevent hydraulic fluid flow to or from said hydraulic lock to thereby engage said hydraulic lock and prevent reaction forces imposed on or by said steered element from being transmitted to said tiller, wherein said valve assembly is contained in a housing attached to said hydraulic lock, wherein said hydraulic lock and said housing are combined in a single module, and wherein the hydraulic lock comprises a hydraulic cylinder assembly comprising a cylinder and a piston that is mounted in said cylinder to define first and second chambers on opposite sides thereof, an end of one said first and second chambers being formed by said housing of said valve assembly.