Kayak Jim
Paddler
Where does one buy Spectra line and sheath in Canada? Ideally not a large roll.
I've bought Spectra rudder line from Bob Putnam at Coast Outdoors (formerly Deep Cove ?) in Vancouver. Most surfskis use Spectra lines, so any 'ski dealer should sell it.Where does one buy Spectra line and sheath in Canada? Ideally not a large roll.
Yes…We fastened the ends by looping the cable and using a ferrule and Swage to crimp it and finished by heat-shrinking the end We were able to do that ourselves, but you are correct that it could be a difficult fix without a workshop. I have definitely learned a lot about my boat in the last few weeks and would consider switching to the spectra line. I just thought that the fix we did would get me back on the water faster…. Maybe that is a project for later this year. Thank you for your help.How do you fasten the ends of the SS cable lines? Crimped loops for shackles? Just crimped or with a thimble? Cost? Someone else does it for you?
Spectra, you simply tie a loop. Have a bit extra in the cockpit and the aft end can be renewed any time it looks like it needs it. It can be done by you on a trip, not in a workshop. And if it broke by exceeding 1/2 tonne (that would break the kayak first anyway) it won't leave bits blocking the channel or tubing.
At the rudder end, using the Smart Track 'Wedgies' eliminates the need for a crimp on cable, and makes adjustment easier.How do you fasten the ends of the SS cable lines? Crimped loops for shackles? Just crimped or with a thimble? Cost? Someone else does it for you?
Pull out the tubing and fish for the cable in the channel? That is assuming that you are sure that it actually catches at the edge of the tubing and not something else like encountered by the op... I'm all ears for THE magic trick, though.I've got another Solstice rudder cable issue, and figured may as well keep it in this thread.
Took the old cable out after it was damaged, and now can't get a new cable to go through. It will feed in nearly all the way from both directions. My suspicion is that it's getting hung up on the transition from H Channel to the short section of tubing mentioned earlier.
Any clever tricks? I've tried using a short length of cable in a drill to clean out anything that might be causing it to hang up, without any success.
Do you have pics or more description of the plugs? I don't understand how this works.(I'm known for feeding from the stern and plugging the forward end of the tube slot so that the cable slides up on the plug into the cockpit to make future cable replacements easier. (IMO, if one must use the H channel instead of tubing, those plugs should be there on both ends coming out of the factory,
Sorry, no pictures, haven't touched one of those for a while.Do you have pics or more description of the plugs? I don't understand how this works.
Thanks.
And doing so for about a decade or more!?!Such a stupid way to put things together.
weeellll, what if the H channel was transparent and you put in linear lighting, huh? Or what about continuing the SS wire all around the whole boat and putting little tiny rudders in all along the boat . . . then if any one fails, you still have a whole bunch left working, huh whattabout dat? Or what about a larger H channel with exterior pockets and a loosish perimeter grab line was installed that you could grab anywhere in intervals around the kayak? Or whatabout extended H channels with multiple slots for combinations of all three?it was a stupid idea
Q-Powerline (used on surfskis from Think, and as replacements in many sufrskis (and gradually, kayaks) seems to work well in boats used in sunny locales.Several people have suggested using Spectra line in place of SS cable. Is Spectra line UV resistant?
That's why I think it was mainly an attempt to keep cost (and a neglectable amount of weight) down, . Even with the need to properly seal the through the deck hole for the cable housing, it'd probably easier/faster to pull it inside the boat instead of through the H-channel, though.Using the H channel was a good idea IF they would have put proper cable housing tube in there as well.
Our kayaks are always stored in indoors when not in use (the pool shed was recently extended to accommodate the kayaks, got them out of the garage), although the yellow gelcoat on mine has become quite faded over the years, even with being stored indoor and sporadic application of 303 protectant.I haven't noticed any changes on the very short sections exposed the the sun at the stern. If I do, it will be a simple matter to 'move' some slack line inside the cockpit into action and just re-knot.
Do you store your boats in the sun or under shelter?
BTW, I think that, for rudder steering lines Q-Powerline is superior to ordinary Spectra which has a softer sheath.
If you mean: "Once the decision to use H-channel was made, using it to route rudder cables", I could perhaps agree.Using the H channel was a good idea IF they would have put proper cable housing tube in there as well.
I don't think you would have any problems with UV affecting Q-Powerline or regular Spectra rudder lines.Our kayaks are always stored in indoors when not in use
That's an interesting problem, but don't you think that a manufacturer would think the simple H shape [without channel] would be a brilliant way to align both wobbly halves of the kayak when trying to align in-or-out when assembling . . . and then to think or see a channel included would be another simple time and material saving godsend?H-channel as a way to build boats is definitely inferior (IMO of course) to a 'glassed on both sides' hull-deck joint. Leaks into the H-channel from the outside find their way to the ends of the boat