While toe steering can be convenient, some athletes may be more comfortable using power steering instead. In this video, Lizzy and I will show you how to lock your boat’s steering mechanisms straight so you or your athletes don’t have to worry about oversteering with their toes or messing up their lines.

• You’ll need 17mm and 10mm wrenches, a Flathead screwdriver, needle-nose pliers, and a Phillip’s head screwdriver. You can also substitute the Phillip’s head screwdriver with a Phillip’s head bit on a power drill to speed up the process.
• First, unscrew the deck porthole cover in the stern of the boat. Underneath, the first steering mechanism will be revealed.
• After that, look for a curved, bracket-like item on either side of the main steering mechanism. This is called a D-Shackle. Unscrew the small bolt holding it in place and carefully remove it from its current position.
• With the D-Shackle removed, make sure the steering mechanism is straight. You can check this by seeing if the fin beneath the hull of the boat is straight, and if the main steering mechanism within the deck is as well.
• Once everything is confirmed to be straight, place the D-Shackle over the central hole of the main steering mechanism. Proceed to screw the small bolt back through the aligned D-Shackle and main steering mechanism. Once tightened, the mechanism will be locked in place.
• Next, move to the foot stretchers where the toe steering is set up. Unscrew the cylindrical wing nuts between the shoes to release the footplate from the main board.
• Flip the footplate over to expose the nuts and screws on the underside. One side will have a larger, hex nut and 10mm nut where the toe steering is secured to.
• Use your 10mm wrench to unscrew the 10mm nut, using your pliers to hold the bolt steady while unscrewing. This will also expose the flathead end of the bolt.
• Once the 10mm nut is removed, proceed to unscrew the larger hex nut with your 17mm wrench. Use your Flathead screwdriver to hold the bolt in place as you unscrew this nut.
• With both nuts removed, carefully move the freed shoe to the side of the footplate so that the screws are easily accessible.
• Proceed to unscrew the bottom left screw with either the Phillip’s head screwdriver or power drill, then realign the shoe’s screws with the footplate holes.
• Place the removed screw back through the aligned footplate hole to its corresponding screw hole on the shoe, then screw it back on with either the Phillip’s head screwdriver or power drill. This will lock the shoe in place so it cannot move freely.
• With the shoe now locked in place, place the 17mm hex nut and 10mm nut back onto the central bolt. You may need to use your pliers to hold the bolt steady while you screw the nuts back on.