steering cable length

[Mr.O]

Does anyone know if you can use a 20 ft cable when a 19.5 is called for? (96 supersport)

[WakeSlayer]

RE: steering cable length

No. You need the exact cable. They are proprietary lengths. It is not so much the length of the cable, but the throw of the cable. That will not be the right cable for your boat. Call Bruce at N3 or WhiteLake.

[Mr.O]

RE: steering cable length

I've got big problems here....I've had my boat in service now for over 5 weeks for prop, shaft, and rudder replacement. I'm at my wits end to say the least. This ruined half of my summer at this point. It would be completely possible to leave the boat at this dealer for the entire summer to get this job done properly. I just went to pick it up what I thought was a finished job, and you can't turn the boat unless you're swartzenegger. My wife can't even drive it now. I had to leave the boat again because of this issue, as well as the boat veering to the left.
The cable was a touch stiff when i brought it in, but nothing like this. The wife never complained about anything. They told me I need a new cable to fix this problem, which is what i was telling them to do from day one, since everything was all apart. But they kept insisting I didn't need it! A senior mechanic said the new rudder will be stiff in the beginning, but I'm wondering what he meant by 'beginning' - I let the boat sit in the water overnight, and put 2 hours on it the next day.
If they order the cable from correct craft, its 2 weeks that I either drive the boat like this, or leave it. The latter option will leave me dry for 8 weeks! They say they get ALL of their teleflex cables locally and very quickly, only hitch is that its a 20 footer. I figured my turns would be wider, but by how much? Are we splitting hairs here? Or will there be a major noticeable difference? The story I'm getting is that I won't notice.
Is there anyone that can get a cable to Ontario, Canada by wednesday or thursday?

Thanx

[WakeSlayer]

RE: steering cable length

Wow. Is this a Correct Craft dealer? or at least an inboard marine mechanic? Sounds like perhaps it is not.

Your rudder will not be stiff at the beginning unless it is installed incorrectly. I assume you rockpiled it based upon your issues. You could have messed up your rudder port but you would have to just HAMMER it to do that and would have done hull damage. If your port is ok, there should be no issues. It is possible he has the packing nut way too tight. This is an easy fix. Remove the wire, back off the nut, then hand tighten. Grab the right sized wrenches and tighten just a bit more.
The cable issue is, as I explained previously, that Correct Craft uses proprietary lengths and throw in their boats. They are Teleflex mfg, but no one else can get them. N3 Boatworks (site sponsor) has them in stock, see if they will ship to you. They are like $175 from them. When you say veering to the left, can you not get it running straight despite where the steering wheel is positioned?
What about the shaft? Assuming the above rockpile, you need to make sure that the strut is not bent, and equally as important, you NEED to make sure this boat has an alignment after an incident. If you don't you will be replairing or replacing your V-drve and possibly your trans.

Sorry to be dramatic, but you do indeed have problems here.
Gotta run, will check back later.

[Mr.O]

RE: steering cable length

Well, I do have the boat at a correct craft dealer. More on that later. I did forget to mention that the strut was also replaced along with the shaft. I did clip a rock and knocked the rudder clean off. The entire rudder assembly was replaced with the stuffing box. There was no stress cracks around any hull fittings.
I was told that they water tested the boat and everything was great. I now have my doubts that it was really water tested -- I have a shaft packing gland too loose that was pissing water, and now a probable stuffing box on a rudder thats too tight. Would they not pick this up on the water test? Gimme a frikin break. With a job like this taking this long, there's no way i should be in there adjusting these things myself. I trailered this boat 3 hours to go to a CC dealer, so there's no option for me to touch anything myself.
I'm not sure what you mean by engine alignment, but I'll assume you're referring to the adjustment of the engine mounts to get the shaft lined up with the coupler to 3/1000 or something like that. If they didn't do this alignment would it not become apparent due to vibration? Next time I go up I think I'll take a feeler guage and check the measurement myself incase I'm not noticing the vibrations.
As far as the tracking, I could keep it straight but with a little counter-steer? Only on the one side as well. I was testing in some pretty crap chop and wind, but the boat has never handled like that in those conditions before.

[WakeSlayer]

RE: steering cable length

The alignment is crucial. You may or may not feel a poor alignnment. It is one of the msot important things to keep correct on your boat. After a rockpile incident like that needs to be checked, run, and rechecked. On the trailer is ok, but on the water is best. Yes on the .002 feeler gauge measurement and adjusting engine mounts. Doesn't sound like these guys know what they are doing to me. If this is a CC dealer, they know ****ed well about the steering cable issue. To have to muscle the steering wheel is unacceptable. Not sure how hard your counter steer is, but these boats are meant to take a little resistance to keep straight. This is how you are able to drive perfectly straight through a course rather than weaving. Newer boats have tuneable rudders, is that what they put on yours? Older rudders just need to be ground a little on the proper side. The tuneable rudder will be covered in an owners manual at least at 1999, not sure about a 1996.
Is insurance covering this repair? or are you? Not that it matters, but I would get on them and get them to fix this stuff while you wait. That or do a little more research, do it yourself, and save the aggravation and downtime of having these clowns do it.

Good luck.

[WakeSlayer]

RE: steering cable length

PS: If it is a tuneable rudder, maybe it is adjusted too aggressive? All the way to one side.