from the website-
Outboard hose is too long, can I cut it down? NO! You CANNOT cut SeaStar outboard hoses. Take up the slack under the dash, or anywhere else, once that hose is cut, it is garbage.
heres the q and a page-
http://www.seastarsteering.com/FAQs/faqs.htm
http://www.seastarsteering.com/BAYSTAR/baystar.htm
craig