Joe wrote:
Doug with my boat in gear still tied up I can tell weather my steering
is working properly.


That would tell you more than simply spinning the wheel lock
to lock like a simpleton, yes.

I ran a boat many many days, and then one time leaving the dock Got her
up on plane and she started drifting, first to stbd, then to port and
by the time I noticed I did not have any steering I smacked into a 20
ton bouy, had I put the linkage thru a couple turns I would have
discovered the steering chain was coming off the gear,


What were you smoking? The times I've had boat's steering
malfunction (for example, the bracket holding the hydraulic
cylinder coming unbolted) I noticed the steering was erratic
and started hunting for the problem long before hitting
anything.

Then one time backing out of the lift slip my transimssion linkage
failed in reverse, I could do nothing but hit another boat, and when I
tried to stop stern way I just made ig go faster thinking I was
shifting into forward.


You should check the linkages more often.


Just like a pilot , before he takes off... I put my equipment thru a
check and make sure things are functioning properly.


Well here's my advice: if you get on a plane and you see the
pilot turning the steering wheel lock to lock, then he turns
and says to the flight engineer (or copilot, since few
planes have on-board engineers any more) "Yep, the steering
is A-OK" .... I recommend getting on a different plane.

DSK