Hydraulic steering seizing remedies please

I have owned two outboard boats with the hydraulic steering setup ;
the last one seized up and was always way too stiff after that. My
current boat I had not used it for about 3 weeks and when I went to
put it away for the winter, viola, it was seized. I managed to free
it up and it is not too stiff now. But before putting it away for the
winter how can I prevent that nastieness come spring time ?

Do leave the piston thingy out or in , do lubricate it or what
should I do ? The boat goes into an old barn and I wont be able to
access it till spring. Thanks alot for any help.

Hydraulic steering systems should be topped off and marine grease applied to
cylinder ram to prevent corrosion and pitting.

Jack
"Chester" <chester.RemoveThis@dragbike.com> wrote in message
news:834fdaba.0310280559.1cb6fb75@posting.google.com...
 > I have owned two outboard boats with the hydraulic steering setup ;
 > the last one seized up and was always way too stiff after that. My
 > current boat I had not used it for about 3 weeks and when I went to
 > put it away for the winter, viola, it was seized. I managed to free
 > it up and it is not too stiff now. But before putting it away for the
 > winter how can I prevent that nastieness come spring time ?
 >
 > Do leave the piston thingy out or in , do lubricate it or what
 > should I do ? The boat goes into an old barn and I wont be able to
 > access it till spring. Thanks alot for any help.<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->