Rudder Cable ....Twang

Is one strand of a rudder cable breaking a big issue? I will change it out but I would like some experienced knowledge (or estimated guess) on how quickly I should get on this... I finished a race and noticed it in the post race wash and boat check....

Thanks..

Submitted by Just Paddle on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 12:57pm



Not yet but think of it this way.

That one was worn enough to break, now all the same age ones next to it have to bear a little more load each.

You can get the SS cable, thimbles and nico press fittings @ West Marine. A small hand swedger tool is not too much either but these size used with canoes / kayaks you can get away with crimping them 'the wrong way' (down the middle) with a std linemans plier type tool. Good insurance is to double the nicopresses and do not use any kind of shrink tubing or tape over the fittings.

aloha,
pog


#1 Mon, 07/13/2009 - 1:53pm


Eh! Pog, if I no tape of use shrink, then I always poking my toes. You get good vision for spak one strand?


#2 Tue, 07/14/2009 - 2:51am


I just replaced the cables on my Pegasus, I found the stainless cable and nickel/copper crimp sleeves at fraction of the cost compared to west Marine at WebRiggingSupply.com, I did get the swedge at west marine
Zumapop


#3 Tue, 07/14/2009 - 4:20am


Koa,

The reason to use two nicopress or a proper crimping tool on one is so you can hide that spikey end.

aloha,
pog


#4 Tue, 07/14/2009 - 9:44am


Thanks for the info so far.. Another thought is cable stretch. I know on my bikes the cable will stretch out. I am guessing it will here too so do you guys just set the pedals equal and just re crimp it tighter if there is a big difference in a few months on the pedal levels?


#5 Tue, 07/14/2009 - 10:25am


I competed in a 100km three day race recently and had to watch the left side cable slowly break down. At the end only two strands were broken but my wife paddled it two weeks later and the whole lot broke at once. So don't wait, at the first sign of wear change it, my wife was lucky she was on the river close to the club. Of course I copped the blame!@#$%.


#6 Tue, 07/14/2009 - 11:47am


Just Paddle ... don't worry about it. Minimal stretch and you will probably never notice it+ it will happen evenly left and right ... Not as reliant on tension as are index shifters.

Clarkie, My wife would have came back in laughing and saying " nice try." LOL.

aloha,
pog


#7 Tue, 07/14/2009 - 1:11pm


Just Paddle
Not so much the cables stretching, more the housing compressing. For real.


#8 Wed, 07/15/2009 - 8:55am


Great info thanks... So I will change it out sooner than later, and got the stretch concept. I planned on just using the old cable to pull through the new in the housing..

Any secrets there for a Zephyr...? I don't think the chines should not interfere...


#9 Thu, 07/16/2009 - 6:14am


If the old cable is sliding freely in the housing there is really no need. The new stuff will push through no problem as long as it is the same diameter. The only pressure on the cable is what you put on it when your steering so the housing should be fine on a relatively new canoe. Make sure you push with your heel and not the top half of your foot and the cables will last longer and the housing will not be damaged by the cable being pulled through it under pressure.


#10 Sat, 07/18/2009 - 5:42pm


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