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Replacing Rudder Cable
Jacob Hartsoch
08/13/13 #14736
Hi gang,
The cable snapped on Beth's paddle this AM but she managed to find her way to shore thankfully!
Any idea on where in town I might find replacement stainless steel cable for an old Mako surfski and any tips on installation? I found a few how-tos online but this ski is pretty old. It looks like the cable feeds all the way through the hull in some sort of liner so I assume I can just push a new one through?
Thanks,
Jacob
Brandon Nelson
08/13/13 #14737
Jake, I found LFS to be the best place to get stainless steel cable. If the 3 30 seconds size fits it's almost a thousand pounds test and that's what I use now. I have a Nyko press tool so when you get the cable in the fittings let me know and you can borrow it. Take care man. Sorry for the typos its that damn voice to text thing.
Larry <lbussinger@…>
08/14/13 #14738
Not sure what you have, but tape the new cable to the old and pull it through. Hardware Sales has ss cable and crimps. Larry B
Shane Baker
08/14/13 #14739
I always use heat shrink tubing to pull a new cable through. Most hardware stores have small diameter (1/16“ maybe 3/32”) heat shrink. Be careful not to overheat. This method works when the cable guide tubing is not continious. Works best when help is feeding the new cable in un-kinked.
Jacob Hartsoch
08/15/13 #14746
Thanks for all the tips crew. I got the boat all fixed up!
It would be nice to have some sort of adjustable section in each cable somehow to adjust angle of rudder and also the default “steepness” of the pedals, I'm sure they make something like that eh?
cheers,
Jake
Reivers Dustin
08/15/13 #14748
This length thing is a tough one. Itty bitty turnbuckle? How about lay on excess so it wraps through the foot peddle connection, then you use clamp that you can move or adjust.
Here's the problem: this cable must be bomber. If you go crimping it or have anything that corrodes or wears you gonna have trouble. But you won't know when.
It's not like losing a kayak rudder. On a surfski, losing a rudder turns the boat into a floatation device. In big waves your shit gets thick quick.. I busted a rudder cable 4 miles from home and had to rig a McGuyver using the strap from my GPS. When I got home I spent big bucks on the factory upgrade to more robust system. A few years ago this was a raging topic. Brandon came up with a bungee hook cheat that would get a guy home on one rudder cable (I have that installed).
Some guys on here have lots more experience messing with troubled rudders. The moral of the story is put lots of energy into a bomber set up when you are on shore. You don't want anything eroding your confidence on the water.
rd
Larry <lbussinger@…>
08/16/13 #14753
Look at the system Fenn uses. That's pretty simple and fool proof. It requires adjustment when you you change lengths, but that's fast and infrequent.
Larry B
