Chewing Gum 17 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 How often should these cables be replaced on a quadrant / pulley type system ? Link to post Share on other sites
Marshy 30 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Are they wire? Or Dynex/Vectran? Also depends a bit on how many tight corners they turn etc as to how long they last. But normally the wire ones will last a fair while if there arent too many more than 90 degree corners etc and it wasnt at the top end of its load etc. Link to post Share on other sites
PaulR 3 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Perhaps looking at your shrouds would help formulate a replacement policy. Possibly lifelines, but these are more easily damaged. If you have replaced the shrouds, perhaps replacing the steering cables at the same or similar time frame could be condsidered prudent, especially from your insurance company's viewpoint. What is a well found and maintained yacht and KM I don't mean the BIG one at the end of ?? pier. Link to post Share on other sites
Chewing Gum 17 Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 Cables are wire and go around one 90 deg pulley of about 150dia They are about 5 years old Is there any warning ie fraying or do they go suddenly ? I did notice a slight noise under higher loads returning from barrier under kite in about 25 knots on saturday - can't recall if noise was there previously Also shrouds were mentioned - they are about 9 years old - what is normal time to replace them ? Link to post Share on other sites
w44vi 17 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I thought stainless rigging they recommend replacing every ten, if the steering cables are galvanized as long as there was no rust or damage they should lass at less the same if there are stainless I would replace them about every 5 Yrs. depending on how much work they have done Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Depends a bit on the quality of the wire in the 1st place. NZ used to have only good stuff but these days some is brought on quality and some is brought purely as it's the cheapest, talking both suppliers and consumers here. 5 years old, knot large so pretty cheap to replace, a mission critical bit of the boat. I'd be thinking swap time more as a precautionary thing. If the wire shows any sprags (little strands breaking) swap it, can be checked by running our hand over it. If you scream in pain and start bleeding profusely you have sprags, best to look close though, less pain. They will probably be where it bends the tightest or on the ends of the quad. Look at the ends close and if done with ferrals often the wire will start to break there 1st, any signs of that swap it. It would be a little unusual for one to just go BANG with no warning but if they are under big loads that is possible. Do you take the opportunity to swap to a fibre steering cable? Yes/No, depends on you really. Same with shrouds. I see 10 years said a lot but have no idea why or how that really would work. It's a pretty arbitrary number for gear that gets a massively differing amount of use, loads and maintenance, which would have one thinking the replacement periods would also vary massively. Look close at the ends, often that is the place you can see impending dramas easiest and first, knot always though. Link to post Share on other sites
SloopJohnB 323 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 If the wire shows any sprags (little strands breaking) swap it, can be checked by running our hand over it. If you scream in pain and start bleeding profusely you have sprags, Use to do that to the wire headsail sheets. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Talking about stainless, I was on a 10 year old Bavaria the other day and he was polishing his NZ made spray dodger frame. He does this regularly. The stanchions (german steel) have never been polished and they look like they've just been done. Feeling a bit ripped off here. Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Same with shrouds. I see 10 years said a lot but have no idea why or how that really would work. It's a pretty arbitrary number for gear that gets a massively differing amount of use, loads and maintenance, which would have one thinking the replacement periods would also vary massively. Look close at the ends, often that is the place you can see impending dramas easiest and first, knot always though. What maintenance do you do on shrouds? Link to post Share on other sites
PaulR 3 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 What maintenance do you do on shrouds? Have you ever looked up and seen all those long string like cobwebs in the sunlight They all equate to DRAG So a weekly cleaning with THE FIRST rag to remove the cobwebs, THEN a little light machine oil (Singer Sewing Machine is very VERY good) on the CLEAN rag first, and you should be OK until next week, unless of course you are racing the next day, when a daily routine is best. Some would say the 3-in-1 or CRC66 etc are just as good but the problem is they leave behind anti-corrosion fillers which builds up over time. Link to post Share on other sites
PaulR 3 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Steering cables only break at CRITICAL times, when your life is in the balance. Otherwise they can last for years. I've never heard of them breaking when quietly at anchor. Personally I experienced total steering loss whilst bringing in a 57ft yacht into Cowes IoW. Broke down middle of the narrow channel, whils yachts and powerboats, hovercraft, a large car ferry and I think a chain ferry all tried to run me down. That got the heart going. Ended up putting the emergency Tiller on the aft deck but had to keep running to center cockpit to adjust throttle / gears. Link to post Share on other sites
col j 0 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 seen those stringy things up in the rigging and hanging off dynex backstays. what are they? Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Same with shrouds. I see 10 years said a lot but have no idea why or how that really would work. It's a pretty arbitrary number for gear that gets a massively differing amount of use, loads and maintenance, which would have one thinking the replacement periods would also vary massively. Look close at the ends, often that is the place you can see impending dramas easiest and first, knot always though. What maintenance do you do on shrouds? Me personally, none as I'm a lazy bastard but in an ideal world a wash and wipe now and again wouldn't hurt them. Some oil them, some polish but I really do prefer the sit, stare and just think about it method. My mast is still upright so my method seems to work OK Col j, cobwebs you would hope. Be a right bitch to find it's the dyneema fibres breaking down. Or you sure it's knot Wal?? He's a bit stringy Link to post Share on other sites
col j 0 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 wtf is a spider doing up the mast? Link to post Share on other sites
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