Broken steering cable

[sabray]

Originally Posted by Stumble

I made the switch to dyneema (amsteel) and prefer it, but I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. The major advantage to me is that since it has a much better bend radious than steel, I don't have to worry about the wire blocks it runs over being too small (they pretty much all are), or the bends being to sharp (again most designs are). However it did take some initial work to check that all the pullies were smooth enough to accept rope instead of wire. The upside is I can replace the stearing cable underway with any one of a number of lines I have on the boat, or from the partial spool of amsteel I carry onboard. It also makes the stearing much lighter and responsive. Since the reduced weight, and ease over the pullies reduces friction. I also like that since amsteel is self lubricating, I don't have to have parts of the boat bunked up with greese.

Same. Here I think I am in year seven with amsteel as my steering cable. Extra on board but it looks like day one still. The old edson and yacht specialty quadrants are the worst for bending a cable. What were they thinking? That is the place I check regularly.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by scoobert

I ordered before i measured. They are removing the docks in a week, and i need to move.

I think you'll be ordering again on Monday and paying for overnight freight. Or go get some properly sized galv steel wire from Home Depot and replace with stainless in Florida after a peaceful ICW transit.

[Paul Elliott]

Scoobert, you absolutely have to find out why the previous wire broke. Strain from heavy rudder pressure seems unlikely to be the root cause. Did it become loose and jump a sheave? Is a sheave frozen or misaligned? Is the wire being dragged across something? Find out why or it's going to break again, probably when you can least afford it.

[hpeer]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

Scoobert, you absolutely have to find out why the previous wire broke. Strain from heavy rudder pressure seems unlikely to be the root cause. Did it become loose and jump a sheave? Is a sheave frozen or misaligned? Is the wire being dragged across something? Find out why or it's going to break again, probably when you can least afford it.

Been there, done that, completely correct advice!

Had a sheave block come loose. Jammed wire under another sheave, which wrecked the wire.

Scoobert, what arrangements do you have for alternate steering?

[Blue Stocking]

Check that any/all turning blocks, sheave center pins, and sheaves are all good condition, and in correct alignment. If they are not be prepared to go thru this exercise again in very short order. Something chewed that cable up badly.

Oops--you guys beat me to it.

[dalts]

Hey Soobert
I see rust marks in your picture, very slight but probably the cause. Stainless doesn't like corrosion once it sets in and probably became fatigued and snapped on a weak spot. Keep the cable greased. Check all chain for small pitting, it will snap if the links on the pins have pitting. Replace them, make sure don't use steel chain under the compass it will throw it off, I used steel corrosion resistant for the section on the autopilot since its twice the load strength,

Happy Sailing

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

Abuse in reverse is not the problem. Following seas or other sailing loads will exceed those created by backing.

+1.

If it failed reversing from the dock it was a blessing in disguise as it sure was going to fail coming of the front of a big wave.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Been there, done that, completely correct advice!

Had a sheave block come loose. Jammed wire under another sheave, which wrecked the wire.

Scoobert, what arrangements do you have for alternate steering?

Again +1. Need to breakout the emergency steering gear before taking this boat and your family off shore. Get some practice setting it up in a hurry and using it too. Actually, I found our setup more fun than the wheel. A tiller on a 17 ton boat is much more fun than I expected too.

[scoobert]

Yes, we have an emergency tiller. Its in the laz, not as big a deal underway.
I can turn on the autopilot in seconds, and keep going.
I think i will just buy stainless wire, 10mm, and swedge the ends to the chain.

Why did it break? Most likely 20-32 years old.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, dalts.

[John A]

I'd suggest that the steering cable be put on the list of things to check when you do a pre-sail inspection.
Also, when was the last time we all lubricated the chain that the steering cable attaches to and the shaft of the sprocket that the chain goes over?

[scoobert]

Do i really need 3/8" 7x16?
Seems very very thick???

[Stumble]

I doubt you need 3/8, probably 3/16 or 1/4.

Note that Edson recommends wire replacement every 5 years. This suprized me when I was looking up the quadrant you likely have.

[scoobert]

How does one even size this cable?
Is there a formula.

[scoobert]